With new banners and a movie premiere, Cape Elizabeth will begin to celebrate its 250th birthday starting May 1.

Cape Elizabeth was established Nov. 1, 1765, when it separated from Portland, which was called Falmouth at the time. The town is named after Princess Elizabeth of Bohemia.

The town’s anniversary committee held a kick-off celebration at Inn by the Sea on Nov. 1, 2014, exactly one year from the official 250th anniversary. The committee’s plan was to then launch celebratory events starting this spring.

Sixteen anniversary banners will be hung Friday, May 1, on streetlights along Ocean House and Scott Dyer roads in honor of the town’s founding.

That same day, the premiere of a short documentary film about Cape Elizabeth’s history, created by Cape Elizabeth High School graduates Peter and Thomas Campbell, will be shown at the Town Hall from 6-8 p.m.

The 20-minute documentary will “weave in interviews with folks who know a lot about Cape’s history with old historic photos, and current footage as well,” said the anniversary committee’s chairwoman, Barbara Powers. “It’s a nice capture of Cape’s history.”

More events will be held throughout May, including bus tours from 9-11 a.m. on May 2 and 9 of historic sites led by members of the Cape Elizabeth Historical Preservation Society. The Spurwink Church on Spurwink Avenue, which is the town’s oldest public building, built in 1802, will be among the historical sites featured on the bus tours. Through the years, the structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been renovated several times. It is now called the Spurwink Meeting House and is used for private memorial services, weddings, christenings and other events. The bus tours start at the Community Services building on Ocean House Road. Reservations are required.

A lecture by Maine historian Earle Shettleworth will take place Wednesday, May 13, at 7 p.m., at the town hall about John Calvin Stevens, an architect and artist who has designed more than 1,000 buildings throughout the state, including churches, libraries, homes and more.

A walking tour will be held Saturday, May 16, for participants to learn more about several of Stevens’ homes in Cape Elizabeth’s Delano Park, a neighborhood located near Portland Head Light. Led by Bob Ayotte, a Delano Park resident and president of the Fort Williams Park Foundation, the tour will feature at least eight shingle-style seaside cottages, including the oldest home in Delano Park, built in 1885.

The park, which originally comprised 25 lots, was expanded by another 14 lots in 1901, resulting in new cottages, including five designed by Stevens. Of those five homes, three were built in 1902, including Ayotte’s own home – called “The Bird’s Nest” – by Harvey S. Murray for $1,500.

On the tour, Ayotte will talk about the history of the homes and point out prominent features. Many of the homes in Delano Park have since been razed, rebuilt or renovated through the years, keeping original features intact, Ayotte said.

“Some of (the homes) are very much like their original condition, and some have been updated but retain a lot of their character,” he said.

In addition to Shettleworth’s presentation about the town’s architecture, “this (walking tour) would give people the opportunity to come and see (the homes) in person,” Ayotte said.

Other events being planned for the town’s 250th include dramatic presentations of the town’s history given by fourth-graders at Pond Cove School, and the unveiling of a permanent mural by third-graders depicting historic sites around town.

“Learning past and current information of the town of Cape Elizabeth is essential for our students,” said Pond Cove School Principal Kelly Hasson. “Not only does it provide valuable facts and fascinating stories, it promotes our students to be stewards and ambassadors of their own town.”

It also helps students to “develop intergenerational relationships with our town elders and to gain a deep appreciation of their hometown,” Hasson said. “Students can take ownership and pride in where they live to help sustain its natural resources and ensure its rich history continues to be shared for years to come.”

On Monday, May 25, the town’s annual Memorial Day Parade will feature legacy families in Cape Elizabeth dating back at least 100 years.

“We are going to look for folks who still live in Cape who have those deep attachments (to town),” to march alongside veterans in the parade, said Powers. “It will be a great chance for (families) to push community spirit throughout the spring, summer and fall around the really rich history of our town.”

Then on Sunday, May 31, Cape Elizabeth’s 5K Challenge will also include events marking the town’s anniversary. The committee is still finalizing details of the full schedule of events.

Bob Ayotte, president of the Fort Williams Park Foundation in Cape Elizabeth, points to his shingle-style cottage in Delano Park, which will be among seven historic homes featured during a walking tour Saturday, May 16. The homes, dating back to 1885, were designed by architect and artist John Calvin Stevens.Staff photo by Kayla J. CollinsCape Elizabeth 250th Anniversary Committee members, from left, Catherine Adams, Jane Beckwith, Barbara Powers and Norm Jordan, sit on a stone wall at the old Spurwink Church on Spurwink Avenue. The church will be one of many historic sites featured in the 250th anniversary bus tours in May. File photo by Kayla J. CollinsNewly installed Cape Elizabeth welcome signs commemorate the town’s 250th anniversary. Courtesy photoBob Ayotte, president of the Fort Williams Park Foundation in Cape Elizabeth, explains some of the history of Cape Elizabeth’s seaside homes.Staff photo by Kayla J. Collins

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