Schaumburg planning for 60th anniversary in 2016

Schaumburg is looking ahead to another milestone anniversary in 2016 - the village's 60th - with a year's worth of celebratory events.

With a preliminary budget of $25,000, the coming anniversary is intended to be smaller in scope than the 50th. The village is holding back on a bigger occasion until likely the 75th anniversary, Director of Community Services Kathleen Tempesta said.

"We want to recognize the 60th anniversary appropriately," she said.

The true anniversary of the village's incorporation will be March 7. The village board meeting of the following night will include an anniversary recognition, a Schaumburg Youth Orchestra singalong of 1956 songs and a 30-minute video called "Speaking of Schaumburg," by village historians Jane Rozak and LaVonne Presley.

But things will get started at the beginning of the year with a social media campaign sharing historic facts about the village and the adoption of a proclamation in February naming March as "Schaumburg Month."

Even regular annual events will be overlaid with a 60th anniversary theme in 2016, including the Volunteer of the Year Luncheon in April, the Prairie Arts Festival in May, National Night Out in August, Septemberfest in September and the holiday tree-lighting ceremony in November.

Other anniversary events - bringing them up to one per month - include the dedication of the new Heritage Park and a historic tile mural in June, a particular game or series of games at Schaumburg Boomers Stadium in July, a Farmers Market event in October, and sales of a 60th anniversary ornament in December.

The anniversary budget will be divided among decorative street banners, temporary decals on village vehicles, temporary signs at the entrances to the village, production of 500 commemorative medallions, professional services and refreshments.

Schaumburg trustees on Tuesday recommended the implementation of the preliminary plan and directed staff members to move ahead with the details.