The 712 Initiative and Celebrate CB committee have now finalized plans for this year’s Celebrate CB week-long celebration.
There will be no large-scale event or parade for 2021, but events tied to Celebrate CB will still happen.
“While The 712 Initiative staff has been able to execute many events in a safe and reimagined manner, it unfortunately proved to be too much of a challenge for the Celebrate CB parade which typically draws a crowd around 10,000 people,” explained Sheryl Garst, CEO.
“The parade also relies entirely on sponsorships for insurance and traffic control needs. Understandably, many of our large sponsors had pivots in their funding to Covid-19 related needs due to the pandemic.”
Celebrate CB 2021 will kick off with Clean Sweep on Tuesday, May 11. Volunteers will be supplied with refreshments at check-in for them to enjoy at their clean-up site. Visit the712initiative.org to sign up to volunteer.
Wellness Wednesday is on May 12. Celebrate the more than 40 miles of recreational trails in Council Bluffs by getting out and about on this day.
The week’s festivities will continue on Thursday, May 13, at Farmers Market Council Bluffs. The market will host a bike parade, interactive activities with the Council Bluffs Public Library, and a final drop-off for The 712 Initiative’s shoe drive.
Friday night, May 14, will celebrate cabaret! Council Bluffs’ favorite community theater, Chanticleer takes the main stage of the new Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center with “Whine, Women & Song!” as they pay tribute to decades of incredible women in music. Socially distanced, and limited seating available. Visit www.PACEartsiowa.org to purchase tickets.
The week of events will wrap up with a Black Squirrel Scavenger Hunt on Saturday, May 15. Those who compete in the scavenger hunt to find black squirrels around the community will be entered to win a variety of prizes. The scavenger hunt map will be posted on Celebrate CB’s Facebook page the day of the event.
“This new event will help community members explore their city more and maybe even see parts of Council Bluffs they haven’t visited before,” said Jeff Snow, Director of Programming and Events at The 712 Initiative. “It should be a fun time for all.”
If any businesses are interesting in sponsoring Celebrate CB events or contributing to the prizes, they should reach out to jsnow@the712initiative.org.
Garst said, “It was hard to adjust at the beginning of the pandemic, and now it’s proving to adjust back as things are going back to normal. We are however committed to bringing some fun activities to residents and celebrate the community during this unprecedented time.”
The goal is that the Celebrate CB parade will be able to return in 2022.
