This weekend marks a big anniversary for Fountain Hills and will kick off a yearlong celebration focusing on all aspects of the community. This Thursday, Dec. 5, marks the 30th anniversary of the town’s incorporation while, next December, the town will celebrate 50 years since the world-famous Fountain was first turned on.

Naturally, a committee of locals has formed to make 2020 a banner year for Fountain Hills, bookended by these two anniversaries. Various celebrations and special events will be scheduled over the next 12 months, beginning this Saturday, Dec. 7, with the Stroll in the Glow.

The Stroll in the Glow will serve as a starting point for the yearlong celebration of all things Fountain Hills, with special recognition given to the town’s incorporation during the evening of festive activities. The Stroll kicks off at 4 p.m. and includes everything from holiday lights and food to activities, a live Nativity and an ice rink for skating.

The Times has been around since the beginning, chronicling the history of Fountain Hills in its various publications. That being the case, look for details on all of the anniversary events in these pages throughout the year, as well as features popping up from time to time highlighting the past five decades. Since this week marks the anniversary of the town’s incorporation, you can read all about those formative days in our coverage beginning on page 1A of this week’s issue.

Fountain Hills has grown a lot over the years, so we hope our readers will look forward to reliving some of those memories with us in the months ahead.