The state’s Bicentennial Kickoff Day is slated for Tuesday, July 30, to mark the 200th anniversary of the public referendum when Mainers chose to separate from Massachusetts.

To honor the occasion, Gov. Janet Mills plans to visit Presque Isle, Bangor, Portland and Augusta that day to raise the bicentennial flag, dedicate commemorative pine groves and announce upcoming programs and events related to the yearlong celebration.

“Maine has a proud and storied history, and our bicentennial offers us the opportunity not only to honor it, but to recommit ourselves to the values that shaped us as a state and as a people,” Mills said in a prepared statement.

The bicentennial events are slated to start early Wednesday in Presque Isle, with Mills scheduled to appear in Bangor at 11 a.m., Portland’s Deering Oaks Park at 2 p.m. and at Mill Park on Canal Street in Augusta at 5 p.m.

Lewiston and Auburn will host the state’s bicentennial parade next year on May 2.

Visit maine200.org for more information.