Auburn's birthday festival starts 2022 events

AUBURN – Leslie Clark updated the Auburn City Council on upcoming events in 2022.

Events begin May 7 with Auburn’s 140^th birthday festival.

Rainbow Trout the Clown and The Pancake Man are scheduled, as well as Auburn history, disc golf, live music and food vendors.

There were five concerts in 2021 and Auburn Arts and Events is considering a reduced number or no concerts in 2022.

The Auburn Strokes Plein Air event expects a budget of $6,000.

Leslie Clark of Auburn Arts & Events said the 140^th birthday festival provides a lot of event opportunities, such as a logo contest, street dance and craft fair.

Clark: “I want Auburn to take pride in itself and do things together as a community. This gives us a reason to do that.”

Under leadership of Church Howe and Charles Nixon the towns of Calvert and Sheridan incorporated in the town of Auburn on May 1, 1882.

The city was named after Auburn, NY, and became county seat in 1883.

Also in 1882, the  newspaper that claimed to be the oldest paper in the state -- the Brownville Advertiser --  was moved to Auburn and published by Fairbrothers under the name Nemaha County Journal and Advertiser.

Shortly after forming the newspaper reported that Auburn aspires to be county seat of Nemaha County.

Also in 1882, polygamy was made illegal in the United States and the outlaw Jesse James was shot and killed.

Thomas Edison started the first electrical power plant, lighting one square mile of lower Manhattan. Edison also created the first string of Christmas lights.