The city of Arnold will hold a 1970s-themed picnic and fireworks show on Saturday, Aug. 6.
Festivities are scheduled from 7-11 p.m. at Arnold City Park on Bradley Beach Road off Jeffco Boulevard near the Meramec River. Admission is free.
The event is part of the city’s 50th anniversary celebration and will include the fireworks that were supposed to be shot off at the city’s Independence Day celebration on July 2, which was canceled because of inclement weather.
The fireworks display will begin at about 9:30 p.m.
Those who attend the picnic are encouraged to wear ’70s-style clothing.
Plenty of children’s activities also will be held, including free train rides, a balloon artist and a face painter.
The evening also will feature performances by the band BUMP! It is the first time the group will perform at an Arnold event, and they play covers of rock ‘n’ roll music from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.
“It is fun to have someone different,” said Teresa Kohut, Arnold Parks and Recreation supervisor.
The picnic also will feature the unveiling of the city’s 50th anniversary showpiece, a display that lights up. It’s expected to be unveiled at about 8 p.m. near the park’s lake.
“It will reflect the city of Arnold,” Kohut said. “It also has some replaceable features, so we can use it at future city events.”
Arnold also will give away more copies of a coffee-table book commemorating the 50th anniversary of the city’s incorporation in 1972. The city and the Leader teamed up to produce the book, which is packed with images from the last five decades. Along with photographs from the Leader’s archives, current and former Arnold residents submitted photographs for the book.
City Administrator Bryan Richison said 2,000 copies of the 68-page book were printed, which cost $6,270.
The city already handed out 500 copies of the book after making them available at City Hall and the Arnold Recreation Center following the cancelation of the Independence Day celebration, city clerk Tammi Casey said.
The book will be available at Arnold’s 50th anniversary merchandise table. While the book will be given away, other merchandise will be sold, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, bottle openers, and insulated beverage holders and other items marking the city’s anniversary.
Dave Crutchley, director of Arnold’s Parks and Recreation Department, said prices for the items range from $10 to $60. The merchandise also may be purchased at the rec center, 1695 Missouri State Road.
The city also will sell hot dogs, popcorn, soda and water at the picnic, but attendees may bring their own food and drinks in coolers. No glass bottles are allowed.
Kohut said those who attend the picnic are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets, but no tents are allowed.
“It is really exciting and fun,” she said about the picnic. “We want to give people what they want. We want them to have a fireworks celebration. We want to pass out the rest of the coffee-table books. We want to do the showpiece unveiling to help everyone feel like they are part of the 50th anniversary celebration.”
Kohut said the city expects to spend about $40,000 to hold the picnic, which is about what the Independence Day celebration would have cost.