From aging black-and-white photographs of men working the water to a “Crabberville Museum” display set up by Achilles Elementary School students using iPads and QR codes, visitors to Sunday’s afternoon kickoff event for the Guinea Jubilee got a taste of both the old and the new.

“That’s what this is all about—preserving our past and looking forward to our future,” said Tara Thomas, who co-chairs the Guinea Jubilee Committee with her husband, Brook.

The couple was on hand during Sunday’s program at the Abingdon Ruritan Club building in Bena to unveil the winning poster design from artist Lawrence “Skip” Hollingsworth, as well as to announce this year’s grand marshal—2014 Ruritan National president Elliott Hogge.

The large crowd in attendance at the event got an opportunity to look over a wall display of the past Guinea Jubilee grand marshals, starting in 1981 with the late Buck Rowe, proprietor of C.B. Rowe &...