WAVERLY - Volunteers are organizing a party to recognize Waverly's 150th birthday, and residents are invited.

Festivities for the Sesquicentennial Celebration run Friday through Sunday. A diverse agenda targets all ages and varies from educational activities with a historical bent to sheer entertainment, organizers say.

"What we really want is for people to take ownership in this," said Paula Stevenson, an event co-chairwoman.

"Come and celebrate it, learn a little bit more about the history of Waverly and see what they can do to become part of the future history of Waverly," she added.

Residents will attempt to recreate an old photo at the football field at Waverly-Shell Rock High School. Five hundred people are needed to spell out the word "Waverly." Participants should arrive by 4:30 p.m. Friday for the photo, Stevenson said.

Activities on Saturday include an all-day carnival at Kohlmann Park, a historic bike tour, old-fashioned games and historic photos and mysteries at the old Sturdevant home.

Wartburg College history professor Terry Lindell will share vignettes about people significant to Waverly's history during guided walks at Harlington Cemetery.

One noteworthy person includes the late William P. Harmon, founder of Waverly.

Many activities during the sesquicentennial aim to help Waverly residents learn more about their roots, organizers said.

"I think it was a very typical town of its day," Lindell said. "It was a town that hoped to become an important community and I think it succeeded at that."

Other frontier towns had similar aspirations but never quite got off the ground, Lindell said. As the county seat, Waverly was assured that business would always be coming and going, he said. The town's location along the Cedar River provided a good transportation route and the arrival of the railroad was also a boon, Lindell added.

Several events throughout the year have acknowledged Waverly's 150th anniversary, said Tab Ray, director of Leisure Services for the city. He hopes for good weather and a good turnout for the major celebration this coming weekend.

Many in the community helped make the celebration possible, Stevenson said.

"We appreciate all the volunteerism and money that's been donated to help make this all a success," she said.

Sesquicentennial buttons winning numbers will be drawn at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Waverly sesquicentennial events include:

Friday

All-day fall open house at many Waverly retailers

4:30 p.m., living photo at Waverly-Shell Rock football field

5 p.m., sesqui celebration carnival at Kohlmann Park

7:30 p.m., W-SR homecoming game

Saturday

All-day fall open house at many Waverly retailers

All-day sesqui celebration carnival at Kohlmann Park

9 a.m., self-guided historic bike trail tour, start at trail head shelter

10 a.m. and 1 p.m., cemetery walk/tour at Harlington Cemetery

10 a.m. to noon, old-time picnic games at Kohlmann Park

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., "Solving History's Mysteries" at Ira Sturdevant Open House

11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., open house at fire station museum

noon, Smoke Signals Band at Kohlmann Park

1 p.m., Beyond the Silence Band at Kohlmann Park

2 p.m., Waverly Municipal Band at Kohlmann Park

4 to 7 p.m., fire station barbecue chicken feed

4 p.m., Jaycees RIVER STOCK, Amvets Ball Diamonds

Sunday

all-day sesqui celebration carnival at Kohlmann Park

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Double or Nothing Nautical Nonsense Race

noon to 1:30 p.m., iHope Ministries worship band at Kohlmann Park

1 p.m., Pet-tacular Pet Parade at Kohlmann Park

2 to 4 p.m., high tea at the Bremer County Historical Society Museum

2 p.m., bike rodeo at St. Paul's Lutheran School parking lot

2 to 4:30 p.m., Jim Busta Polka Band at Kohlmann Park