The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound effect on the world and Guilford County, but one thing that a lot of county residents might not realize fell by the wayside was a huge celebration that county officials had planned for the 250th birthday of Guilford County and the 100th birthday of the Old Guilford County Court House in downtown Greensboro.

After years of massive repairs and a cleaning of the Old Guilford County Court House – partially in preparation for the event – county officials were planning to host a giant 2020 celebration.

Early in the pandemic, there was hope Guilford County government could hold a delayed celebration late in the year, but now – two and half years in – it’s clear that the next good date for a big milestone county birthday party will be when the county reaches the age of 300 in about 48 years.

Guilford County Clerk To The Board Robin Keller, who was playing a large oversight role in those planned celebrations, said this week that the parties won’t be held now that so much time has passed.

However, Keller added that there was a League of Women’s Voters event being planned for October that would be used somewhat as a time to also celebrate the county’s birthday and the birthday of the old building that’s now the center of Guilford County government.

According to Keller, just prior to when the pandemic hit the county in early 2020, committees were being created and the planning stage had begun; however, once the length and severity of the COVID-19 threat became clear, it was a hopeless cause.

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