Whether you want to forget it ever happened, or you consider it a time of immense growth and learning, 2020 was an historic year. A once-in-a-century global pandemic, protests calling for racial justice, a presidential election – these were all nationwide events that had their own unique impacts here in Plano.
Some of our collective memories made here in 2020 were good, like the community rallying to support healthcare workers and patronize small businesses. Some memories were painful, like losing loved ones to a new virus. And some things that happened this year were just plain weird, like that time the City of Plano fireworks show went awry, but everything else happening was so crazy that we were all done talking about it just a few days later.
From January through December, here are just a few memorable moments from 2020 in Plano:
Beloved Plano Police School Resource Officer Art Parker retired in January // photo Jennifer Shertzer
A January presentation by the Plano Census Committee, which worked to raise awareness about the 2020 U.S. Census // courtesy City of Plano
Plano resident Don Muchow set off Feb. 1 to attempt the first-ever run from Disneyland to Disneyworld to raise awareness about Type 1 diabetes. He suspended his run due to the pandemic but hopes to resume Feb. 2021 // courtesy Don Muchow
Back in February, we all gathered closely with friends, with no idea of what was to come // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Dr. Myrtle Hightower received the keys to the city from Mayor LaRosiliere Feb. 10 for her outstanding contributions to Plano // courtesy Plano TV
Plano Fire-Rescue Association commissioned a mural, which was completed in March, at Plano Fire Station #8 to honor the heroes of 9/11 // photos Jennifer Shertzer
After Plano ISD announced March 12 it would extend Spring Break an additional week amid COVID-19 concerns, local food pantries sent out emergency requests for public donations to help feed students at home // courtesy Lovepacs
On March 14, the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 was reported in Plano, and this spiky red ball quickly became the image that everyone never wanted to see again // courtesy CDC
On March 16 Plano city council declared a local state of disaster which brought together City of Plano staff to work together at the Emergency Operations Center // photo Evan Reitzell
When Plano dining rooms were ordered closed March 18 many restaurants swiftly switched to curbside service // photo Jennifer Shertzer
The Shops at Willow Bend announced March 23 it was closing temporarily, a day before Collin County Judge Chris Hill issued a stay-at-home order // photo Jennifer Shertzer
On March 31 Plano ISD announced campuses would remain closed through May 1, eventually extending through the remainder of the school year // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Residents took to the sidewalks to create chalk artwork // courtesy Celine Gomez
Drive-in church services became a thing // courtesy Grace Church
Residents and businesses pitched in to provide healthcare professionals and first responders with meals, drinks and encouraging notes // courtesy St. Andrew UMC
On April 6 the Texas National Guard was deployed to help with operations at North Texas Food Bank // courtesy NTFB
By April the demand at some food pantries had already quadrupled // courtesy Minnie’s Food Pantry
Plano Magazine and Blue Circle Media partnered to bring drive-by concerts to residents sheltering in place from early spring through late summer // photo Jennifer Shertzer
A parade of Plano first responders honored healthcare workers at Texas Health April 13 // courtesy Plano Fire-Rescue
On May 6 the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flew over Plano and DFW to honor healthcare workers and first responders // photo Alan Daniels
Parades in May honoring graduating seniors became a common sight in the absence of graduation ceremonies // photo Jennifer Tatum
Plano ISD surprised their Teachers of the Year with socially distanced at-home celebrations May 19 // courtesy Plano ISD
A June 3 protest in front of the Raymond Robinson Justice Center was one of countless protests happening nationwide demanding justice for the Black community / photo Jennifer Shertzer
A June 7 rally for racial justice organized by Cheryl Jackson drew approximately two thousand to Downtown Plano // photo Visuals by DorJaBa
Residents honored former U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson June 8 during his funeral procession in Downtown Plano, which followed a similar route of his homecoming parade in 1973 after being released as a POW // photo Jennifer Shertzer
As Zoom meetings became the norm, the Heritage Farmstead Museum began offering in June to have farm animals hop on and make video calls less monotonous // courtesy Heritage Farmstead Museum
Plano Police Chief Ed Drain and Collin County NAACP President June Jenkins helped celebrate Juneteenth with a drive-through event June 20 // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Plano Art Walk launched in July to increase awareness of Plano’s cultural and artistic treasures // photos Jennifer Shertzer
The City of Plano’s 4th of July fireworks display malfunctioned and started small grass fires at Lavon Farms // courtesy YouTube user Sandra Gray Zeller
In July, one year into the Collin Creek Mall project, the most noticeable changes were missing anchor stores and giant piles of dirt // photo Jennifer Shertzer
The Texas Music Revolution music festival, normally held at Oak Point Amphitheater, converted to a drive-in concert the first weekend in August // courtesy KHYI
The cancelation of the State Fair inspired many fair food pop-ups, like this Fletcher’s Corny Dogs event at HTeaO Plano in August // photo Emilee Prado
Plano ISD began the school year Aug. 12 with all students learning remotely // photo Jennifer Shertzer
The long-awaited opening of Plano’s Jollibee was announced Aug. 18, and long drive-thru lines ensued for months afterward // photo Jennifer Shertzer
Lone Star Wheelers celebrated its one-year anniversary with a drive-by bike parade at DaySpring Senior Living Sept. 14 to cheer up residents who had not had visitors in months // photo Jennifer Shertzer
On Sept. 17 North Texas Giving Day raised much-needed funds for critically impacted nonprofits // photo Kim Leeson
Voters lined up at polls around Plano Oct. 13, 2020 to begin early voting for the November election // photo Jennifer Shertzer.
Plano ISD students, parents and faculty had to make major adjustments to keep sports safe in the fall // photo Kim Peichel
Plano native Blake Coleman was honored Nov. 3 by the City of Plano for his role in the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning // courtesy City of Plano
Plano Arts & Events held a showing of “Frozen 2” Nov. 7 as part of its Plano Parking Lot Pictures outdoor drive-in movie series // photo Jason Fehrm
Minnie’s Food Pantry broke its own record by serving more than 11,000 people Thanksgiving meals at a drive-through event Nov. 21 // photo Jennifer Shertzer
On Dec. 16 Texas Health Plano received its first vaccinations for COVID-19 // courtesy Texas Health
On Dec. 18 the first delivery of rail arrived in Plano for the construction of DART’s Silver Line connecting Plano with DFW Airport // courtesy DART
Socially distanced Santa photos became standard practice for the 2020 holiday season // photo Photography by Misty
Revisit the photo gallery of our first few months in quarantine, or read how Plano residents were dealing with the pandemic back in May.
