Community Engagement Letter

Written By Roberto Dei

Dear Lowell Community,

On behalf of City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr., The Lowell City Council and Bicentennial Planning Committee, I am excited to share with you that planning has begun for Lowell’s upcoming Bicentennial. The official date of the Bicentennial will be March 1, 2026, however we are planning for a yearlong celebration kicking off with WinterFest and ending with City of Lights. The Committee is envisioning the Bicentennial to have three main pillars: Festivals and Events; Lowell History; and Education and Youth Engagement. We understand organizations begin planning installations and programming months and even years in advance and wanted to be sure to give you plenty of time to plan if you want to “opt in” to Bicentennial Programming.

  • Festivals and Events: We want to capitalize on all the great festivals, events, gallery shows, concerts, and everything else that happens throughout the year. Our new Bicentennial website will include a calendar where we will showcase everything that is happening.

  • Lowell History: Lowell’s history will of course be at the forefront of Bicentennial activities. The goals of the committee are to ensure the Bicentennial is holistic in its look at Lowell and inclusive of all the contributions that have been made by various groups from the original native settlers through present day residents. The goal is to capture stories over the next three years and codify them throughout the Bicentennial year.

  • Education: The Committee sees the Bicentennial as not only an opportunity to uplift and celebrate all that Lowell has achieved over the past 200 years, but also as an opportunity to look forward to the future and the next 200. Youth engagement and education are central to that goal and the committee will work with the Lowell school system, Middlesex Community College, UMass Lowell, and other partners to form a holistic curriculum for the year.

We hope your organization will be interested in joining us in planning special activities during the Bicentennial year. The City is committed to funding the Bicentennial and has already devoted resources which we will continue to build on. In partnership with the Greater Lowell Community Foundation there will be opportunities for sponsorship. If you are interested in getting involved with Bicentennial planning, please contact Peter Crewe, Director of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, at pcrewe@lowellma.gov.

Roberto Dei