$3.5 million in corporate funding paid for many of the events during the 200th anniversary year which officially began on February 14th, 2012.

Mayor Coleman created a bicentennial commission in 2008 to plan events to commemorate the bicentennial. Ty Marsh chaired the organizing committee.

“This isn’t an ending; rather it’s the launching of Columbus’ future. We’re going forth with pride, confidence and a can-do attitude that exemplifies the Columbus of today and the future,” Marsh said.

Mayor Coleman echoed Marsh’s sentiments, noting that Columbus was a city established by immigrants. He said that marking the city’s 200th birthday was tremendously important.

“The reason why this bicentennial is important is because you don’t know where you’re going until you first understand where you come from. The past delivers the future,” Coleman said.

A centerpiece at the ceremony was a clear plastic time capsule filled with books about Columbus, a gold bicentennial coin, letters from school children and copies of the Columbus Neighborhoods documentary series produced by WOSU-TV.

February 14, 2013 marks the city’s 201st birthday.