Area residents are
invited to celebrate Indiana’s bicentennial by watching the bicentennial
torch relay as it passes through Porter County or by attending one of the
celebrations on torch relay day.
The torch run kicks
off with a ceremony at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 9 at the Indiana Dunes State Park
pavilion, 1600 N. 25 East, Chesterton, followed by the torch run at 8:30
a.m. from the state park to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center using the
Dunes-Kankakee Trail. In addition, people can tour the Bicentennial
Experience mobile unit at the state park pavilion, with exhibits to view and
attractions like a machine to make a Bicentennial penny. The experience is
open from 8 a.m. to noon. Entry to the park is free until 10 a.m.
The torch will go
through Valparaiso University, starting with a ceremony at 9:45 a.m. at the
Duesenberg Welcome Center on U.S. 30, and continuing with a torch run
through campus from 10 a.m. to 10:20 a.m.
The torch continues
on Lincolnway in downtown Valparaiso from 10:20 a.m. to 11 a.m.
There will be a
ceremony in Valparaiso’s Central Park around the time the torch passes
through, which is estimated to be 10:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Mayor Jon Costas
will speak, and Valparaiso Events will hand out small American flags and
inflatable torches.
From 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. the Portage High School bison-tennial bison will be on display at
Founders Square Park, 6300 Founders Square, Portage. There will be a parade
from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting at Central Avenue and Airport Road in
Portage (torch caravan only until it reaches Founders Square and is joined
by the rest of the parade), proceeding west down Central Avenue to the Lake
County line.
In Porter County,
55 people who were chosen for their achievements and acts of service will
carry the torch.
“This is an event
that comes along only once in every 200 years, so we hope the entire county
will come out and see the torch run and enjoy one of the celebrations,” said
Ken Kosky, Porter County coordinator for the Indiana bicentennial.
The torch relay is
designed to inspire and unify Hoosiers as one the major commemorative events
of the 2016 Bicentennial celebration. The torch will pass through all 92
counties and cover 2,300 miles over five weeks.
The route started
in Corydon on Sept. 9 and ends with a celebration in Indianapolis on Oct.
15.