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UF Concludes 150th Celebration with Concert and Birthday Bash
December 2, 2003
Contact: Karen Willis, Coordinator of UF's Sesquicentennial Celebration, (352) 294-2003 or willisk@ufl.edu
GAINESVILLE, Fla.- As the yearlong celebration of the University of Florida's 150th birthday draws to a close in 2003, two concluding events are planned for the UF and Gainesville communities.
On Dec. 7, a sesquicentennial closing reception will take place from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. outside the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on campus, followed by a brief closing ceremony and the annual Sounds of the Season concert inside the Phillips Center at 7 p.m. State and local proclamations will be read by State Rep. Edward Jennings, Gainesville Mayor Tom Bussing and UF First Lady Judy Young.
“Many of our community members attend the Sounds of the Season concert each year,” said Michael Blachly, co-chair of the UF Sesquicentennial Committee and director of the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. “We thought it would be a wonderful idea to incorporate the concert with a closing reception and ceremony for our community.”
Almost 300 performers from UF, including the University Choir, Chamber Singers, Women's Chorale, Men's Glee Club and the University Symphony Orchestra, will perform under the direction of conductor and UF Music Professor Will Kesling. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required for the performance and are available at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts box office. For more information about tickets, please call 352-392-ARTS.
A 150th birthday bash will be held on Dec. 10, in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom from noon to 2 p.m. There will be free box lunches for the first 700 people, and the ceremony will include the unveiling of the new UF ceremonial mace to be used at official university events. There also will be a performance by the University Gospel Choir, the screening of the new UF history film, Dream Machine, and plenty of birthday cake for everyone. The celebration is free and open to the public.
“The sesquicentennial celebration has been a huge success, and this is our way of saying thank you to everyone involved,” said Karen Willis, coordinator of the sesquicentennial celebration. “We cannot believe the year is over, but we're glad so many people have taken part in the celebration as we've honored the past and are shaping the future.”
For more information about both events, please contact Karen Willis at willisk@ufl.edu or 352-294-2003.
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