CROWN POINT -- The 150th anniversary of the Crown Point Lighthouse will be celebrated this weekend during the Festival of Nations here.

Now called the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse, its public birthday party is at 8 p.m. Saturday and will feature sparklers and music by the Seth Warner Fife and Drum Corps.

Unfortunately, the Rodin bust that adorns the lighthouse hasn't been reattached after restoration, but it is expected back in time for events next year.

TODAY

Crown Point Historic Site Manager Thomas Hughes said two state historic sites, Crown Point in New York and Chimney Point in Vermont, are co-hosting this weekend's public event and offering activities at both ends of the Champlain Bridge.

The celebration begins today, when visitors will get to meet French explorer Samuel de Champlain, portrayed by Don Thompson, between 11:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. at the Crown Point State Historic Site.

That will be followed by a 1 p.m. concert of 18th-century British and American songs performed by musician Linda Russell.

SATURDAY

The Crown Point Post Office staff will be at the festival at 11:15 a.m. Saturday offering a special cancellation celebrating the 150th anniversary of the lighthouse at Crown Point. Thompson will also be giving an encore Champlain presentation at that time.

The cancellation shows the original lighthouse and station, built in 1858, and a set of three items will be sold to benefit the Champlain 2009 celebration.

Programs will be offered Saturday at both historic sites, including walking tours of Crown Point at 9:30 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. and an illustrated lecture at 3 p.m. on "Works of Art: The Champlain Memorial Lighthouse," by Dr. Frances Chevalier.

New York contributed $730,000 to restore and repair the lighthouse in time for the celebration.

The lighthouse was a 55-foot octagonal limestone tower originally connected to a wooden Cape Cod-style cottage.

In 1910, the lighthouse was turned into the Champlain Memorial Lighthouse, and the cottage was torn down. The limestone exterior of the lighthouse was replaced with eight Doric columns on a conical base made of Fox Island granite from Maine.

On the side of the memorial facing Lake Champlain is a sculpture by Carl Heber showing Champlain flanked by a Huron Indian and a French soldier.