Carrboro pride was almost tangible Thursday night as the town celebrated its 100th birthday with speeches, poetry, song and cupcakes.
More than 100 volunteers, committee members and residents filled the Carrboro Century Center for the town’s centennial celebration, organized by the Carrboro Recreation and Parks Department and the Centennial Committee.
“We’ve been working on this for seven months,” said arts committee staff liaison Kim Andrews.
“I’m excited to be providing a place for people to celebrate the uniqueness of Carrboro.”
The evening began with a volunteer appreciation reception, after which many locals lined up to ring the Century Center bell 100 times to mark each year of the town’s history.
Mayor Mark Chilton then took the stage and told a humorous story about the controversial nature of the man Carrboro was named after, Julian Shakespeare Carr.
“Jule Carr never lived in Carrboro. He wouldn’t have dreamed of it,” Chilton said. “Throughout its history, Carrboro was the proverbial wrong side of the track.”
His next sentiment was shared by many throughout the night.
“Carrboro is a typical small Southern town, but it’s also becoming a progressive arts destination,” Chilton said.
