250th celebration details When: The celebration begins Saturday, June 9 and continues for 5 weekends, ending Sunday, July 8. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Celebration: Contact John Sherman (207) 283-3139 ext. 102, jsherman@sacomaine.org INDEX Return to main page List of events Event videos Ecumenical Service Historical timeline Historical sites Saco's history Mission statement The mission of the Saco Sesquibicentennial Celebration is to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the incorporation of Pepperrellborough (later, Saco) by celebrating the history, heritage, culture and the continued growth of this great city.

Miss an event? Check out our list of videos of celebration happenings.

City of Saco celebrates 250th anniversary with a five-weekend birthday party

When was the last time you were invited to a 250th birthday party? The City of Saco is celebrating its 250th birthday with a big five-weekend celebration right now and everyone is invited. The Saco Sesquibicentennial Celebration began on Saturday, June 9th with a spectacular parade and will continue over the next five weekends, ending on Sunday, July 8th.

In addition to the parade and a reading of the proclamation at the original meeting house in Biddeford, the celebration will include a city-wide historic scavenger hunt, photo displays in storefronts, historic timeline, an authentic encampment, horse drawn historic tours, guided historic walking tours, events at the Dyer Library and the Saco Museum, open houses, a 2-day old fashioned street fair and much more. Saco will be known as Pepperrellborough for a month and all are invited to join in the celebration of this great City's history, heritage and culture.

History
In the mid-1700s, both sides of the Saco River, then known as Biddeford, were served by one meeting house. In 1762, triggered by the hardship of traveling to attend services and the need for its own meeting house, the people living on the eastern side of the Saco River petitioned the Massachusetts legislature to form their own district. On June 9th 1762, the Governor of Massachusetts consented and incorporated the town of Pepperrellborough. In 1805, the residents of Pepperrellborough changed the name to the shorter, easier to spell "Saco."

For more of the history of Saco, follow this link

For more information, or if you want to help with the celebration, contact the John Sherman, City of Saco at (207) 283-3139 ext. 102, jsherman@sacomaine.org