Sugar Hill residents are invited to a birthday celebration for the city, which is marking 83 years since its founding.
The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at the Sugar Hill History Museum at 5010 W. Broad St. Residents are invited to celebrate with cake and balloons alongside mascot Eddy the Eagle.
“Celebrating our history as an official city is exciting,” said Sugar Hill Mayor Brandon Hembree. “Outside of Berkeley Lake and Peachtree Corners, Sugar Hill is the third youngest city out of sixteen cities in Gwinnett County. Our history is unique in comparison to all of the other cities.”
During the celebration, Hembree and Historic Preservation Society Chair Kathryn Baskin will provide tours of the downtown area offering historic facts about the city.
“The walking tour for our 83rd Birthday as city, will take place in Downtown Sugar Hill. Even though most of our downtown-area is new, tour guides will be talking about our history as a community that predates the actual creation of Sugar Hill as a city in 1939,” Hembree said. “Some of the stops on the tour will include topics related to our gold mining past, the railroads, and other subjects that uniquely shaped the Sugar Hill we call home today.”
Residents are also invited to give back as part of the birthday event — donations of hygiene products will be accepted for the North Gwinnett Co-op and monetary gifts will go to the United Way — United for Ukraine Fund. Residents who donate to either cause can enter a raffle hosted by Sugar Hill Youth Council member Bailey Coleman, and winners will receive a limited edition Sugar Hill T-shirt. The donation drive is ongoing through Thursday, March 24, and drop-off boxes for hygiene products can be found at Sugar Hill City Hall near customer service, the E Center reception desk and the Sugar Hill Art Gallery and History Museum. Residents who make a monetary donation to the United Way fund for Ukraine can submit proof of their donation to communications@cityofsugarhill.com to be entered into the raffle. Winners will be announced during the birthday celebration.
While Thursday’s event will celebrate the history of Sugar Hill, the future of the city will also be in mind.
“History has a unique way of connecting our past, present, and future — the three cannot be separated,” he said. “In celebrating our past as a community, I see a good future for the city. Many of the characteristics that have always been present in Sugar Hill — like a strong sense of community — will help ensure that we continue to thrive as a city.”
FEATURED PHOTO: Sugar Hill residents celebrated the city’s 82nd birthday last year at Cornerstone Park. Special photo.
