Boca Raton outlines 2025 centennial plans, asks city to fund half of historical book

City staff and community partners on Monday detailed a yearlong plan to mark Boca Raton’s centennial in 2025 and asked the city to underwrite part of a historical coffee‑table book.

Mary Zarr, a centennial organizer, told the council the book will cost $52,000 for 1,000 copies and requested the city pay half — $26,000 — in exchange for books and a sponsor page that would include photos of the council and an introductory letter by the mayor. “The book is about everybody in Boca Raton,” Zarr said, describing chapters organized by decade and a collection of photographs drawn from community donations.

The request was part of a broader presentation that included exhibits, a traveling trunk program for elementary schools and a lecture series. Susan Gillis of the historical society showed sample pages and said the society’s photo collection includes tens of thousands of images spanning the city’s history.

The city is also partnering with Oh Miami, an arts organization whose Scott Cunningham described community-centered projects he called “civic publishing.” Cunningham outlined a Zip Ode poetry initiative that collects short, ZIP-code‑based poems from residents and plans public art installations and workshops to capture voices from neighborhoods including Pearl City and Dixie Manor.

Staff said they have launched a marketing request for proposals and expect to select a consultant by June; Centennial logo concepts will be presented to the council within weeks. Anne Marie Connolly, communications and marketing manager, said the signature celebration is slated for Saturday, May 24, 2025, and that the city will run teaser events and partner activities throughout 2025.

Council members urged an ambitious program. “When I think of a centennial celebration, I think how are we going to showcase paradise,” said Deputy Mayor Drucker, calling for ‘‘big, better, bold Boca.’’ Several council members also suggested large public events or a headlining concert during the celebration.

Next steps: staff will present Centennial logo concepts to the council and return with more detailed marketing plans after the RFP selection is complete. The council is scheduled to consider the book funding request and other Centennial items at upcoming hearings.