Bicentennial celebrations in Columbia come to a close with COVID-19 precautions in place

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia is set to celebrate the state's 200th birthday with a third and final day of events on Sunday.

According to organizers, all visitors are required to follow the University of Missouri's COVID-19 safety regulations at the festival.

The, "Together for '21 Fest" kicked off Friday, with Governor Parson in attendance to speak to festival goers.

On Sunday, events are set to begin at 10 a.m. with a quilt exhibition and a tree dedication. The Bicentennial Commission says the tree dedication is, "in recognition of Indigenous peoples who called these lands home."

The quilt exhibition is also set to go throughout the day, with quilts made throughout the state on display.

Quilts on display will include:

• Missouri Bicentennial Quilt by SHSMO/Missouri Star Quilt Co.
• Missouri 4-H Bicentennial Quilt by Missouri 4-H
• Phelps County Bicentennial Quilt by Phelps County Quilting Group
• Texas County Bicentennial Quilt by Houston Community Betterment
• Ray County Bicentennial Quilt by Ray County Committee
• St. Charles County Bicentennial Quilt by St. Charles City-County Library

Other presentations, displays, and musical performances are scheduled throughout the day with events set to wrap up at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Bicentennial Commission also included a time capsule, for those attending to leave notes for future Missourians.

The festival comes as Columbia's positivity rate sits at 32.2%, compared to just 7.6% at this time last year.

Missouri's Bicentennial celebrations are set to wrap up at annual Missouri State Fair. The fair, is back in full swing this year after hosting a modified fair in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The fair comes as Missouri has recorded 14,483 new COVID-19 cases over the past seven days, with just 42% of the state's eligible population being fully vaccinated.