In order of their founding, local churches will toll their bells twenty times each in fifteen-minute intervals beginning at 11:00 am on Friday, March 6.  Since Piney Grove Baptist Church is the oldest church in the area, their bells will toll first, followed by Wake Chapel Christian Church, First United Methodist Church and Fuquay-Varina United Methodist Church. The final bell tolls will be led by the Fuquay-Varina Presbyterian Church but rung simultaneously by all the above churches including St. Bernadette's Catholic Church.  School children and local citizens with hand bells will chime in for the last bell ringing at noon, so you should hear them all over Fuquay-Varina!  All churches with working bells or chimes were asked to participate. 

Town Officials will meet for a ceremony at noon at Centennial Square, the new parking lot and park located at the corner of Main and Academy Street.  Everyone is invited to attend. If you have handbell, please bring them!

Even our Fuquay-Varina schools will be celebrating our Town's birthday on Friday, March 6.  Classes will be participating in local history study, hosting guest speakers, viewing historic photos and enjoying birthday cake for lunch. When you send your child off to school on March 6, make sure they know it is a special day in our Town's history!

On March 13-28, the Fuquay-Varina Revitalization Association will host the Hunt 100, a historical scavenger hunt.  The clues will lead you to historical photos placed throughout downtown Fuquay-Varina.  Answer the clues, collect the stamps and be entered to win one of three $100 downtown gift certificates.  You may just have a lot of fun and in the process learn a lot about Fuquay-Varina's history!  Look for a full page ad in the Fuquay-Varina Independent on March 11.  Game pieces will be available on www.fuquay-varinadowntown.com.     

         
Make sure you participate in some small way on March 6 or in 2009 in the Town's 100th Birthday Celebration. 
 

King Cake will be available all week for $12.99 in honor of Mardi Gras
 
The cake is made with a sweet dough, baked and covered with a sugar topping in Mardi Gras colors; purple representing justice, green representing faith, and gold representing power.
 
In the mid-1900s, a small plastic baby was placed inside of each King Cake. The New Orleans tradition is that each person takes a piece of cake hoping to find the plastic baby inside. The recipient of the plastic baby is "crowned" King or Queen for the day and that person is obligated to host the following year's party and supply the King Cake.
The King Cake tradition came to New Orleans with the French settlers around 1870, continuing a custom dating back to twelfth century France. Similar cakes were used then to celebrate the coming of the three wise men calling it the feast of Epiphany, Twelfth Night, or King's Day.
 

Getting Married? Stick Boy Bread Co. is now able to create the wedding cake of your dreams! Your wedding day is as unique as you are, and a wedding cake from Stick Boy Bread Company can express your one-of-a-kind style. Our cake flavors and fillings are delicious and available in a wide variety of combinations to suit every taste. 

 

Stop by the bakery at 127 S. Main Street or call (919) 557-2237  www.stickboyfuquay.com

The 6th annual Celebration of the Arts will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2009 in Historic Downtown Fuquay-Varina and attracts more than 4000 visitors during the one-day event.  The festival is open to all artists and fine crafts people producing original work. 
 
To download an application, go to www.fuquay-varinadowntown.com.  Please call 919-552-0848 if you prefer an application be mailed to you.  Applications are due no later than April 1, 2009.