Sugar Land 50th Anniversary Update

Awesome ... spectacular ... amazing ..... wow!

These are just some of the words people found to describe the City's grand finale 50th Anniversary Celebration held on New Year's Eve 2009.

From start to finish, residents, friends and neighbors of Sugar Land were treated to a spectacle unlike any other event held in the City.

Entertainment, never before seen in Sugar Land, added beauty, intrigue, fun and wonder to an already auspicious night, with its Blue Moon and partial lunar eclipse.

A statuesque Roman fountain that suddenly began to come to life and gracefully move to music mesmerized onlookers with her beauty and elegance.

Roaming stilt dinosaurs brought surpirse and joy to young and old as they walked through the City streets interacting with the curious crowd.

Shan The Candyman intrigued onlookers as he demonstrated his ancient art of Japanese candy sculpting, turning ordinary blobs of candy into magnificent works of art.

Cirque entertainers delighted and amazed the crowds with their acts of physical skill, agility and plenty of daring.

In the midst of the crowd, historical characters from 1959 entertained people as they talked about the Sugar Land of the 1950's.

Of course, it would not have been a birthday party without a giant birthday cake and a birthday gift, which took the form of a commemorative art piece, "unwrapped" during a special anniversary ceremony. Everyone is invited to view this special birthday gift at City Hall during business hours.

Adding to the entertainment on the street, music and state of the art lighting added a soul and beat to the Square, that brought even the buildings to life.

State of the art lighting effects and sound production were provided by the Houston based production company, LD Systems.

Music was provided by DJ Tyler for the children and then DJ Sean D and the band Midstream for the adults, giving everyone a chance to get up and dance or at least tap their foot.

The highlight and finale of the event came as everyone gathered in the Square to welcome the New Year.

The City was very excited to be presenting a 3D Video Mapping show customized especially for the City by the video production company Texas Video and Post (TVP). This was one of the first major showcasings of this type of technology in the US and it did not disappoint.

Oohs and aahs echoed throughout the gathered crowd as City Hall was transformed by a 3D visual feast that led up to the much anticipated Midnight Sugar Cube Drop. With 10 seconds of 2009 left, the crowd erupted with excitement as a giant 3D sugar cube appeared to hover in front of City Hall for the countdown to 2010.

As time passed from one year to the next, the Sugar Cube dropped and shattered into tiny pieces as the spectacle continued with fireworks provided by AM Pyrotechnics bursting from the rooftop of City Hall. Traditional favorite Auld Lang Syne and cheers of Happy New Year welcomed 2010 and a new era of growth and vision for the City, its residents, friends and neighbors.

This truly was a unique and spectacular event to hail the end of the City's 50th Anniversary and welcome all that is to come in the next 50 years.