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(Left to right) From the Wishing Well in Gansevoort: Chef Tim Godlewski and Sales and Events Coordinator Corey Pritchett; Wilton Supervisor Arthur Johnson and his wife, Sandy; Bicentennial Chairperson Sue Gavin Lant and her husband, Councilman John Lant; Gala Coordinator Fran Dingman and Supervisor Secretary Nancy Riely; from Chez Pierre in Gansevoort: Pierre, Kelsey and Patrick Baldwin; and musical entertainment provided by Jeff Brisbin, whose family dates back to Wilton's founding. Photos by www.photoandgraphic.com.
WILTON – The parking lots at the McGregor Links Country Club on Northern Pines Road filled up fast last Saturday, as hundreds attended the town’s Bicentennial Kick-Off Gala.
“It’s going to be a fun night,” Wilton Supervisor Arthur Johnson observed at the outset, noting how 200 gala tickets were sold in recent months at $18.18 each.
The Jan. 27 gathering at the newly renovated golf club was the first of many events scheduled to mark Wilton’s two centuries of official existence.
“This is the first of a whole series of signature events throughout the whole year. They appeal to all different age groups,” said Fran Dingman, a local events promoter who organized much of the McGregor Links gala.
In a promotional brochure for Wilton’s Bicentennial, April was deemed the “anniversary month.” From 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 20, there will be a re-enactment of the first town meeting at the center court in Wilton Mall; and historic tours the next two days.
There also will be a Parkfest Celebration on July 7; a historic home tour on Sept. 16; a Taste of Wilton event on Sept. 23, and a holiday dinner on Dec. 29.
Sue Gavin Lant, whose father inspired the name of Wilton’s popular recreation park on Lewis Road, said other events may be added along the way. For more than a year, Lant has chaired the committee that is planning the bicentennial activities.
According to Johnson, there are currently about 17,000 people living in Wilton.
“It’s the best place to live, raise your family and work,” he said. “We have low taxes, we have a great quality of life here; we’ve got parks, recreation, schools—all the best things to offer to people.”
