The City of Orange is Celebrating 125 Years!

On April 6, 2013 The City of Orange, CA, will be turning 125 years old!!!

As the third oldest City in Orange County, as well as being home to the largest historic district in California, 125 years is an important milestone.  The city is planning on making it an event to remember with an old time block-party style neighborhood party in the historic Plaza of Old Towne Orange.

First May Festival, Orange, California, May 1, 1933. Photo courtesy of the Orange Public Library History Center Archives.

On April 6, they will be closing the Old Towne Plaza, where Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street intersect to vehicle traffic. Our Birthday Celebration will start at 12 p.m. with music at a special stage set-up in the Plaza, food booths, a children’s activity area, and a community photo.  Everyone is encouraged to show some true Orange spirit and wear orange colored clothing!

At 1 p.m. all eyes will turn to the Plaza as local churches will be asked to ring their bells in honor of our City’s incorporation.  A marching band will make its way towards Plaza Park, culminating with a presentation honoring our City, its long term residents, businesses, service groups, and the ceremonial cutting of the birthday cake.

Music will continue as “cake” treats are distributed to the public. The festivities will continue until 2:30 p.m.

The City of Orange is also introducing a 125th Birthday Street Banner program. Residents and businesses of Orange can sponsor a banner with their names, or company name on the banner for only $200. The sponsorship amount is meant to cover the cost of the banners, printing, and installation. The banners will be discplayed on East Chapman Avenue, between Cambrdige Street and Tustin Street. The 125th logo will be printed in full color on both sides of the banner, along with the name of the resident or business sponsoring the individual banner.

Plaza during Street Fair, 1910. Photo courtesy of Orange Public Library & History Center Archives
Plaza during Street Fair, 1910. Photo courtesy of Orange Public Library & History Center Archives

The location of the banner is at the City’s discretion.  Banners will be displayed until April 2014, after which time it will be presented to the owner in commemoration of Orange’s 125th birthday. Banners will be installed by April 5, 2013, as long as a minimum of 16 banner applications are received.

Please be aware that the City is still in the planning stages, and the event components may be subject to change as circumstances require.

For more information, please call Paul Sitkoff, public affairs and information manager for the City of Orange at (714) 288-2590.

Residents or businesses who wish to sponsor a banner should visit the City’s website HERE for more information.

I’m certainly looking forward to the City’s big birthday bash, and wanted to give you all the scoop early!

Last Updated on June 8, 2016 by

2 thoughts on “The City of Orange is Celebrating 125 Years!

  1. Love the idea of coming together with locals for a celebration 😉 (other than street fair where everybody comes for mainly the beer… lets get real, it’s not really so much about the food anymore) I hope it lasts more than 2.5 hours though. We locals, get 2.5 days of rowdy, disrespectful people coming though our neighborhood, let US have a celebration, for at the very least half a day… 6 pm perhaps? Why a 2:30 pm end time?

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