Get your 325 Yearbook!

Newtown Corporation invites residents, visitors and friends to "Celebrate your town, my town, Newtown…" and relive fond memories from its 325-year history with the commemorative 325 Anniversary Yearbook!

The hardcover yearbook will include full-color photos, facts and memories of Newtown’s past and present throughout its roughly 200 pages. Residents and businesses will be invited to purchase space to share their own memories of Newtown or simply commemorate their time in this historic town.

The Yearbook pre-sale will begin at Newtown’s First Fourth Celebration on July 5. Copies will be sold at a discounted rate of $30 each during the pre-sale. Payment will be accepted in either cash or check made payable to "Newtown Corporation."

In addition, yearbook ad space for residents and businesses will be on sale starting July 5. Spaces vary in size from 1/8-page to full-page and are available starting at $70. Ad sales will continue through 2008.

All funds raised support the Newtown Corporation, which provides community opportunities including the 325 Anniversary Yearbook, Newtown Brewfest and other exciting Newtown events.

Yearbooks will be distributed in summer 2009, to coincide with the conclusion of 325 Anniversary events.

For more information or to join the 325 Yearbook Committee, contact Breanne Cook at NewtownYearbook@gmail.com.

What's in the box???

Posted by Peter Ciferri

Bill Smith, Chris Ortwein, Patty Lovi and Frank Fabian all know what's inside the time capsules buried beneath Pickering Field for 25 years, do you?

The only way you'll find out is to come to First Fourth on July 5.

As part of the kick-off for Newtown's 325 anniversary, the contents of 25- and 50-year-old time capsules will be displayed on stage at Newtown Middle School.

For more information about First Fourth, visit www.newtownfirstfourth.com. For more about Newtown's 325 anniversary, visit the Newtown325 blog on BucksLocalNews.com.

Celebrate Newtown and America at First Fourth

By Brittani Ross
Advance Correspondent

Newtown is ready for its 325 anniversary, and the only way to start things off is with the greatly anticipated First Fourth celebration on July 5.

First Fourth will be the first event to kick off the yearlong anniversary celebration, as well as the last event when next year’s First Fourth draws the anniversary to a close, according to First Fourth planning co-chair Victoria Bowe.

To help kick things off, recently unearthed time capsules dating back to Newtown’s 275 and 300 anniversaries will be opened on stage at 8 p.m.

The annual daylong celebration, held outside Newtown Middle School, offers everything from hot dog eating contests to revolutionary reenactments from life in the 1700s.

“We have our wonderful parade in the morning, with our local revolution reenactors from Newtown’s Church and local people participating as well,” Bowe explained with excitement. “They have their cannons, muskets — they’ll show life as they had it. That’s a great opportunity for the children.”

Bowe emphasized the dedication given by George and Nancy Stockburger, the grand marshals of the parade, who are celebrating the 50 anniversary of Stockburger Chevrolet and have dedicated so much of their time and recourses to the community.

Bowe added that a new feature will be added to the First Fourth celebration — a dunk tank. “[People will] have a big opportunity to dunk their favorite Newtown personalities for charity,” Bowe said with a laugh. “I think everyone’s looking forward to that.”

First Fourth is a light-hearted affair that offers many games, rides, performances and contests that will suit the tastes of people of all ages.

Among these events will be a bike decorating contest sponsored by The Advance of Bucks County, planned for 9:30 a.m., and a softball game between Newtown Borough — the defending champions — and Newtown Township.

“The fair will be 4:30-dusk. Safety Day will be at that time as well. We have games, we have dunk tanks, we have music, a food court, we have Irish Dancers, a jazz band, Newtown orchestra on stage,” Bowe explained. There will also be a community picnic at the event and Bowe encourages people to bring their blankets and baskets.

Of course the traditional food court vendors from across the township will also set up shop. Expected to appear are Slack’s Hoagie Shack, Chick-Fil-A, Taste of Philly’s Pretzels and more.

A radio control car and plane show will be held in the fields of Newtown Middle, courtesy of Action Hobby. And kids are also invited to jump into hayrides, moon bounces and face painting.

A large part of the event this year is that it will be going hand-in-hand with Safety Day, which has been previously held on a separate day than the First Fourth. It will offer various displays and demonstrations sponsored and given by groups such as the fire station, Commerce Bank, American Red Cross and the local police department. Some national rescue and law enforcement are also expected to join.

“It would help the community be aware of the municipal agencies that they have that are available to the community,” Bowe said.

To end the night, there will be a spectacular fireworks show held at 10 p.m., a one-of-a-kind light spectacle in the area.

The activities, games, shows and contests are completely free, Bowe said, and First Fourth is not only a celebration for Newtown Borough’s 325 anniversary, but a way to tie together the whole community.Parking for First Fourth will be available at Council Rock North High School on Swamp Road. Visitors can walk from the high school to the middle school or ride any of the three shuttle buses provided.

The event is sure to be an excellent start to this yearlong celebration.

Logo unveiled for 325

Three-hundred twenty-five years after William Penn allegedly announced, "This is where I propose to build my new town," selecting the location for what would become Newtown, the Bucks County community is marking this anniversary by "celebrating your town, my town, Newtown, a great place to live, worship, work, shop and play."
The theme will be carried out through a series of special events that highlight and pay tribute to those who have shaped Newtown for over three and a quarter centuries. The activities will stretch from Independence Day weekend through next summer.
"The 325th slogan phrase live, worship, work, shop and play has its roots in the mottos for Newtown Borough, Newtown Township, Newtown Corporation and Newtown Business and Professional Association," explained Chris Ortwein, executive director of Newtown Corporation, the celebration's organizing entity.
"It was also used in the tag line for the 1984 tri-centennial celebration and it seemed appropriate to piggy back on words that have brought so many people together for so many years."
The 325 logo was designed by Allison Lucerne of Lucerne Illustration and Design. Lucerne was one of twelve artists invited to interpret the town anniversary.
Each artist was given creative license to express the 325 theme in any style that reflected his or her personal vision. The only guidelines were to include "325" and "Newtown." The rest was left up to the artist's perception, imagination, and inspiration. The hope was that a 325 logo would emerge out of the process.
"Several artists chose to create an identity mark for the celebration," explained 325 committee member Patty Lovi, "however, Allison's work incorporated the Newtown N which has been used to brand and market Newtown for the past four years."
That original design was a collaborative effort by two Newtown designers Adrienne DiGiovine and Rosemary Tottoroto.
When asked about her creation, Lucerne explained, "My 325 logo design evolved as I was working on the oil painting for my poster. I was thrilled to be able to use the Newtown logo on my poster because I love its simplicity and it matched the feel of my painting."
Several versions of the logo are available which will be adapted for marketing and merchandising purposes. While event stationary bears the official logo with wings indicating community inception and event dates, a smaller circle logo has been adapted for commemorative pins and embroidered soft goods.
The celebration commences with Newtown's First Fourth on July 5. As a prelude to the anniversary, an artist "Meet and Greet" reception was held on May 5 to unveil the 12 posters which will be used over the course of the event. The Time Capsule, from the Tri-Centennial Anniversary in 1984, will also be unearthed from its location at Pickering Field, and will be presented to the public at the First Fourth parade and opened during the evening awards ceremony.
For more information on Newtown' 325th Anniversary, the schedule of events, artwork and available volunteer opportunities, visit the website www.newtownpa.us, or contact: Christina Ortwein, Newtown Corporation, 215-968-3440.