The residents of Grayson County are invited to a birthday bash unlike any seen in the last 200 years. With Monday, January 25 being the actual birthday of Grayson county, the big bash will be held on Saturday, January 23.

The Bicentennial Celebrations are scheduled for just over three weeks away and the final touches are being added to the birthday party that will celebrate the last 200 years.

The celebrations will begin on January 19 with a period week in which the residents of the county are asked to wear clothing from different periods of history.

Tuesday will be the first day of the spirit week with the dress up in clothing from different periods in Grayson County History. Tuesday will be 1970- 1950 Hippy/Bobby Sox Period, Wednesday will be 1940 – 1920 Flapper Period, Thursday will be 1910 – 1890 Cowboy/Outlaw period, Friday will be 1870 – 1850 Civil War Period and Saturday will be 1840- 1810 Revolutionary period.

On Saturday the streets to the Public Square will be closed to the vehicular traffic for the celebrations.

The day is filled with fun events for all ages. There will be an old fashion pig roast with Kenny Vincent cooking. Also there will be over 120 gallons of soup beans and chili in six large black kettles, just the way meals were prepared in the 1810s. This food is free to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The students from the Grayson County Schools have been invited to show artwork in the windows around the square.

Vincent has also arranged for a showing of antique tractors and an antique car show will be in one of the side streets off the square.

While Vincent is cooking and serving the beans and chili there will be several vendors set up with wares to demonstrate and sell that date back to the 1810s

There will be a blacksmith, basket maker, soap maker, broom maker, candle and lantern maker, a cobbler, chair caning and tin-ware maker.

The Grayson County Historical Society will be giving free tours of the Jack Thomas House during the day on January 23.

At 2 p.m. there will be a pageant that will be different from the beauty pageants that are a part of all the county celebrations. This pageant is a period-wear pageant and will be held in the courthouse on the square. Entries will be judged on how closely the costumes are to those worn in the 1810 period.

Registration for the free contest will begin at 1 p.m. or contestants can pre-register at the Centre on Main by 2 p.m. Jan. 22.

Entries will exit from the courthouse and walk around the building for the judging. More information on the Period Pageant can be found at the Centre on Main.

For information about the bicentennial celebration, call 259-5587 or 259-2735.