Florence will mark 34 consecutive years as a Tree City USA community with a free Arbor Day celebration Sept. 19 at Kentaboo Park.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to noon at the park, located at 418 Kentaboo Ave. It will include tree planting, a proclamation by Mayor Julie M. Aubuchon and a free lunch, according to a city post on X published Sept. 8.

Admission and lunch are free.

The celebration moves to a new location this year. Florence held its 2024 Arbor Day event at Stringtown Park, 7340 Burlington Pike, according to city council meeting minutes from September 2024. No explanation for the venue change has been announced.

Tree City USA is a national recognition program run by the Arbor Day Foundation. Communities must meet four standards each year to qualify: maintaining a tree board or department, adopting a public tree care ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on community tree care and holding an Arbor Day observance with an official proclamation. Florence meets those requirements in part through its Urban Forest Commission, which operates as a city body.

The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized 3,636 communities nationwide since launching the program in 1976.

Aubuchon also spoke about the city's commitment to trees at a separate event in July. In a press release announcing a Liberty Tree dedication during National Night Out, she called the planting a symbol of "the strength of a community that comes together in the spirit of freedom, service, and unity."

The Arbor Day Foundation's application portal for the Tree City USA designation opens each September. Cities must document tree care activities completed during the calendar year to maintain their status.

Residents with questions about the Sept. 19 event can contact City Clerk and Public Relations Administrator Melissa Kramer at 859-647-8177.