Start at least 9 to 12 months in advance. Popular venues for anniversaries of this scale are booked up a year and a half to two years ahead. That's especially true in autumn and on attractive weekend dates. Reserve the venue first.
Then comes the concept: what is the story, who speaks, which generations are involved and how? Only then do you build out the details. For events of 500+ people, 12 to 18 months is the norm. It can be done with less time, but then you have to decide quickly and be flexible in your venue choice.
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