Archived News Release: February 16, 2023 - Planning is underway for Ann Arbor's 200th birthday, to be celebrated throughout the entirety of 2024, with a myriad of events that will be fun, educational, unifying, and inclusive. To kick off this planning year, the Bicentennial Coordinating Committee quickly identified the need to develop a special logo to commemorate the year-long celebration, one that can be used by the community and event organizers to establish consistency and be a recognizable symbol of our collective efforts.
The City of Ann Arbor engaged Destination Ann Arbor (a non-profit organization that promotes the Ann Arbor area for leisure and business travel, and active member of the Bicentennial Coordinating Committee) to help with the marketing and communications efforts for the Bicentennial. Destination Ann Arbor then partnered with Kindling Creative to concept and design the logo. This was an inclusive and thoughtful process, with input received from the city and coordinating committee members throughout.
The “A200" name and logo comprises many different elements that are uniquely Ann Arbor:
- A2 is Ann Arbor's clever, inviting nickname.
Has it really been 200 years since Allen and Rumsey?
Blue is a nod to the U-M, a mainstay in our community.
Gold represents the special “shine" of 200 years and our town's permanence and legacy.
Our “Arbor" has 1.45 million trees! They don't call us Treetown for nothing.
Our beloved resource, the Huron River, is named after the Native Americans who lived here first.
“As a long-time resident and owner of a local business, I'm honored to contribute to Ann Arbor's 200th birthday celebration. We designed the bicentennial logo to serve as an inspiring and unifying symbol of our community's strength and longevity," said Julie Roberts, owner of Kindling Creative.
“We are excited to take the next step in our preparation for our 2024 Bicentennial Celebration," said City of Ann Arbor Administrator Milton Dohoney Jr. “We want the community to become familiar with the logo now so when they see it attached to an activity or event they will immediately know it is part of our year's long recognition."
The Bicentennial logo will be shared with event organizers and others who wish to use it on their promotional materials. Logo requests can be directed to [email protected]. In addition to logo files for print and digital application, a brand guidelines document will also be sent to ensure proper logo usage.
Design and content for the A200 website, a2bicentennial.org, is underway. The website will include a comprehensive events calendar, an Ann Arbor timeline, legacy project updates, and much more. Details to come soon!
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The Ann Arbor Bicentennial celebrates the rich history and cultural heritage that make our city the dynamic and vibrant place that it is today. As we look back on the past 200 years, we are proud of the progress we have made and the community we have built. We are excited about the future, and the opportunities that lie ahead. We welcome you to join the celebration! Email [email protected] for information on how to become involved.
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