Calulmet has always known how to throw a celebration, as this turn of the 20th century photo shows. Here, people gathered near the Ben Blum liquor store at the corner of Fifth and Pine streets. The building was heavily damaged by fire on Jan. 1918, in which several lives were lost. (Photo Courtesy of MTU Archives)

CALUMET — As Calumet gears up for its year-long sesquicentennial celebration, Village Manager Megan Haselden has announced an organizational meeting and volunteer sign-up at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5 in the Red Jacket Ballroom.

Haselden, planning committee coordinator, said the meeting will be informal, similar to an open house.

“We’ll talk about different ideas for different celebrations,” she said, “and hopefully, some people will show up and offer to volunteer to help us to make the year a great celebration for the village of Calumet.”

It will not be the first celebration of its kind in the village. Fifty years ago, the Calumet commemorated its 100th anniversary as an incorporated village. Village President Frank Beatty received letters of congratulations on behalf of the residents from Governor William Miliken and Present Gerald Ford. The centennial celebration was a week-long festival of events that included parades, a queen coronation, dances, a heritage day followed by an Ethnic Day. There was a rock concert at the Calumet Theatre featuring Brownsville Station, as well as a performances by the 5th Regimental Band and Drum and Bugle Corps, and even a beard judging contest. There were tours of historic homes and old mind sites, and burying a time capsule in the Town Hall lot. The seven-day celebration concluded on Sunday, August 9 with a grand parade ending with fireworks at Legion Field.

There was also a dedication of the Calumet Theatre, in recognition of its 75th anniversary, where the public was invited to four performances of the live theater production “Calumet Story.”

For the sesquicentennial, Haselden is hoping to expand the celebrations from just one week to events throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Planning, organizing and executing the events will require the volunteering spirit Calumet is know for.

A letter from the Calumet Village Centennial Committee published in the Village of Calumet Michigan 1875 – 1975 Souvenir Centennial book states in part: “The plans for this Centennial celebration are the plans of many – the program and its execution is the work of many volunteers who have given unselfishly of their time and effort.”

Haselden said the upcoming meeting, which is a call for volunteers, is to discuss celebrations, and to hopefully inspire a large turnout from village residents to attend, share ideas, and sign up to volunteer.