AUBURN – Mayor John Jenkins on Saturday will kick off a year-long campaign to promote Auburn as a healthy community.

Activities such as tai chi, chair massages and blues music will take place from 8 a.m. to noon at Festival Plaza. The activities are free.

In collaboration with the Auburn-Lewiston YMCA, Healthy Androscoggin and other health-promoting organizations and agencies, the city will create a calendar of activities taking place in the L-A area. The calendar will be distributed throughout the city and on its Web site.

The campaign kickoff will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Riverwalk extension, which was recently completed.

The extension allows walkers and runners to make a loop along the river behind Gritty McDuff’s from Auburn to Lewiston, or by crossing Court Street and continuing behind the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn to West Pitch Park.

Saturday’s events:

• Tai chi instruction by Jenkins

• Pilates and strength resistance training instruction by the YMCA of Auburn-Lewiston

• Weightlifting with three-time Mr. USA and world champion wrestler Tony Atlas

• Chair massages from licensed massage therapist Jeff Sturtevant

• Music performed by local blues musicians

In case of inclement weather, the event will be held at the Great Falls Performing Arts Center gymnasium on Academy Street, except for the Riverwalk ceremony, which will be held behind Festival Plaza.

Go and do

What: Healthy community kickoff

When: 8-noon Saturday, Sept. 15

Where: Festival Plaza, Auburn