A banner year for Fall River JAMES FINLAW, Herald News Staff Reporter May 17, 2003 Hung from light posts and telephone poles, the tri-colored banners feature sepia-toned images that capture the essence of the city's 200-year history. More than 200 of the red, white and blue banners will be strung around the city over the course of the next two weeks, as the city's 200th birthday party nears. Ava Assad, Mayor Edward M. Lambert Jr.'s chief of staff, was charged with getting the banners made. The banners were designed free of charge by local artist Mark Zajac, who also created banners and logos for the city's First Night celebration. The banners proclaim the city's name, the year it was established and feature various images representative of the particular section of the city where they are hung. The banners hanging on Anawan, Water, Davol and Central streets all feature different images of the Priscilla, the luxury steamship and pride of the old Fall River Line. The banners along upper South Main Street feature an image of the downtown and the old city hall. The remainder of South Main Street and North Main Street will be adorned with banners featuring photographs of an old steam-powered locomotive. The banners designed for Bedford Street pay homage to the city's history as a world-renowned textile center, depicting mill workers standing before an American flag. Columbia Street will have banners adorned with the Barcellos Rooster. Pleasant Street will also be decorated with the colorful banners. The old Notre Dame Church, with its magnificent spires, is featured on those. "Obviously the banners brighten things up and they're very festive," said Assad. The banners were paid for with federal Community Development Block Grant funding. The banner hanging heralds the kick-off event July 9, the start of the Bicentennial Lecture Series at the First Congregational Church on Rock Street. The first program in the series will be a presentation by Fall River Historical Society First Vice President Robert Kitchen entitled "The History of Spindle City." The lectures will continue each Wednesday until Aug. 27. Topics will include Lizzie Borden, the old Fall River Line, Battleship Cove, the history of the city's mills, immigration in the 19th century, local women's history and the history of medicine in the city. The Bicentennial Celebration itself will begin on Sept. 5 with a black tie gala at the Abbey Grill. A free family day on the waterfront will be held from 12 to 9:30 p.m. at Heritage State Park. The event will feature a 50-piece Air Force Band, live entertainment and an array of foods. It will conclude at 9:30 p.m. with a fireworks display. Assad said a three-hour Bicentennial Parade will make its way down Bedford Street and South Main Street on Sept. 7. The procession will feature 25 bands, horse drawn carriages and performers in elaborate costumes. The Bicentennial Celebration will conclude on Dec. 14 with what Assad called a Victorian Christmas. The segment of Rock Street between the Historical Society and the First Congregational Church will be closed to traffic so the Historical Society can host a reenactment of a Victorian Christmas from the city's past. The city expects the entire celebration to cost an estimated $250,000. So far, 22 local businesses have stepped up to contribute more than $200,000 as well as goods and services to the event. Companies that have donated $20,000 to the celebration are the Fall River Five Cents Savings Bank; First Federal Savings Bank of America; Fall River Municipal Credit Union; Lightolier Inc.; and Quaker Fabric Corp. Local business that have donated $10,000 include Fall River Ford, Inc., New England Gas Co., St. Anne's Credit Union; and Fleet Bank. Eight businesses and a local church have donated $5,000 to the event. The businesses were Citizens-Union Savings Bank; D.F. Pray Construction; Colonial South Chevrolet; Hathaway Home for Funerals; Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc.; Tillotson Complex/Borden & Remington Corporation; Dunkin' Donuts; Waring-Ashton Funeral Homes. The church is the First Congregational Church. Companies that donated goods or services included The Herald News, Lincoln Press, Red Velvet Florist and Colonial Beverage. James Finlaw may be reached at jfinlaw@heraldnews.com. ©The Herald News 2003-Reprinted with permission from The Herald News.