BATTLE CREEK - It's quiet now, but later this week Battle Creek will be bustling with activity as the town celebrates its 150th birthday.

The four-day celebration begins Thursday, and organizers say it's a chance to commemorate the Madison County town's history while celebrating its present.
 
"We want to bring back the history," says planning committee member Arvid Warneke. "There are so many things that have changed, even in the last 50 years. We want to cover back as far as we can."
 
Many of the descendants of Battle Creek's founders are still in town or close enough to take part in this week's festivities.  Event officials say it will give residents a sense of where they came from.
 
"I've personally heard a lot of people saying they're hosting their family reunions this weekend," says event committee member Ashley Walz. "All of the different event halls are taken up this week."
 
Some members of the planning committee, like Warneke, were around to celebrate Battle Creek's centennial in 1973. Now, a new generation is taking over to bring back the sense of celebration the town used to see every summer.
 
"I feel like that's what drives me to want to help the community and do stuff," Walz says. "People like [Arvid] did it for me when I was a little kid. Now my five-year-old gets to watch me do stuff like this. I think it brings it full circle for everyone."
 
The 150th birthday will feature dozens of events, including parades, tours of historic homes, and even the return of Battle Creek's legendary bathtub races.
 
"That was a big thing back when I first got out of high school," Warneke says. "I made some carts, and then Tilden got involved. Meadow Grove and Neligh were involved. It was a great thing. We had a lot of fun with those bathtub races."
 
You can see more information about this week's 150th birthday event by clicking on this link.