To celebrate the 70th anniversary of Walt and Roy Disney’s return to Marceline in 1956, create some recognition and fun ‘mini-events’ around the special date.
Since July 4, 2026 is ALSO the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, it’s likely people will be traveling away from Marceline for special events.
Also, on July 3, 2026 there is a World Cup soccer game in Kansas City, so hopefully foreign visitors will make their way to Marceline for the 4th of July.
- Fireworks – See if Disneyland Park would help Marceline Fire with some kind of special fireworks show.
- Talk to Lori and Art Dominguez to make a connection with the Disneyland Fire Department
- Movie – Showing of “The Great Locomotive Chase” at the Community Center (since the Uptown Theater isn’t usable)
- Do some kind of decorations to represent the Uptown Theater
- Pool – 70th anniversary re-dedication of the Walt Disney Pool / Walt Disney Municipal Park
- Find Walt’s (and/or the Mayor’s) original dedication speech and read it (or if it’s on audio somewhere, play it?)
- Work with Carol / the Friends of the Marceline Pool committee (and/or City Hall) about having some special event that day to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the pool opening.
- Steam Engine – Presentation about the history of the #2546 engine in Ripley Square that Walt and Roy were photographed on
- Could be a video, telling the story/history of the engine; its donation to Marceline; Walt and Roy photos;
- “Through Walt’s Eyes” Photo Scavenger Hunt
- Invite visitors take a photo at several specific spots around Marceline that have ties to Walt.
- Each location has a QR code with a short story about Walt in Marceline, or historic photo of Walt when they came back in 1956.
- Have visitors send/upload their photos to the Historical Society website (along with their name/contact info) to be randomly drawn to win a Marceline prize (gift basket/box of items, like Marceline Library bookmarks; smashed penny from the railroad; Marceline post cards; printed mug; Marceline book; Walt ‘stuff’; etc.)
- Scavenger hunt places:
- Main Street “roundhouse”
- the Museum / Depot
- #2546 steam engine in Ripley Square
- The Dreaming Tree / Barn
- The “Walt Disney Municipal Park” sign
- Front of Walt Disney Elementary / Flag pole plaque at Walt Disney Elementary
- The sign / description label in front of the Disney Family Farm
- The Marceline City Hall sign
- At the top of the Gracia Street railroad bridge, with the Depot in the background
Media
- Bibyd bo9poyt beard
- Dapper daniel
- Paging Mr. Morrow
- The Kingdom Krew – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-hfy2RkX8LznUQHHlGYMnQ
More Ideas
- Reserve WCC for July 4, 2026 (IF that’s the date we do it.)
- See if VFW wants to do something special for the 250th anniversary of our Country
- Maybe have Students set up sales tables based on the businesses that were on Main Street in 1956
- See if Vicky Bryant would create a fake marque/front of the Uptown Theater to put on the outside of the WCC
- Contact some regional Civil War history group(s) about coming to see The Great Locomotive Chase movie, since the movie is ABOUT the North stealing a Southern locomotive (The General)