Home

Massillon's Bicentennial Kickoff - "Centuries of Stories"

Name: Massillon's Bicentennial Kickoff - "Centuries of Stories"
Start: 2026-01-17T19:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-17T21:00:00-05:00
Location: Massillon's Bicentennial Kickoff - "Centuries of Stories"

January 17, 2026 7:00 PM –9:00 PM

Overview
Related

Overview

A free fun evening at the Lions Lincoln Theatre will launch Massillon’s Bicentennial celebration on Saturday, January 17, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome and no reservations are required. The event is casual. Guests can drop in or stay for the entire time.

Continuous films of Massillon’s past will intrigue guests. Some have sound, like a narration by hometown hero David Canary. Others are silent, but local historian and showman Rudy Turkal will comment one some of the action. Interspersed with the films, he and fellow local historian Margy Vogt will proffer trivia questions about the community’s past. Guests can play for “fabulous” prizes.

Films include footage of skating on the reservoir, fires, the Sugar Bowl, the Paul Brown and Red Bird era, then-and-now cityscapes, football traditions, businesses, and school children from the 1930s. Some are from Turkal’s private collection; others are provided by the Massillon Museum.

Turkal will display some of the Massillon artifacts from his vast personal collection.

Popcorn and soft drinks will be available for purchase in the theatre’s concession area. Mandy Altimus Stahl will provide technical support.

The event is presented with support from the Lions Lincoln Theatre, the Massillon Museum, the Massillon WestStark Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Massillon.

The Lions Lincoln Theatre has stood at 156 Lincoln Way East for more than half of downtown Massillon's history. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby lots. For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 330-833-3146 or Margy Vogt at 330-844-1525.