We’re just over a week away from the Mustang’s 50th birthday, and Ford is finalizing its preparations for the celebration. The Mustang officially turns 50 on April 17, and as you may have guessed Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] has a lineup of events planned. These include a repeat of the 1964 stunt where a Mustang was taken to the roof of the Empire State Building in New York, as well as two week-long events starting April 16 and to be held simultaneously at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The events are being hosted by Ford in partnership with the Mustang Club of America, and they will be attended by Ford execs Bill Ford and Mark Fields. Thousands of Mustang owners and fans are also expected to attend the events, which will include product ride-and-drives, track time, and special displays showcasing a model from each year of the Mustang’s 50-year run as well as special editions and the all-new 2015 Mustang.

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A special highlight for fans will be appearances by some of the people who contributed to the development of various Mustang models, and no doubt they’ll have a few inside stories to tell. Just some of the names include Gale Halderman, the designer credited with the shape of the first-generation Mustang, and Jack Telnack, who was Ford vice president of design during the early days of the Mustang. Also in attendance will be Dave Pericak, current Mustang chief engineer; Moray Callum, current vice president of design and brother to Jaguar design boss Ian Callum; Hau Thai-Tang, former Mustang chief engineer; and Henry Ford III.

For more information on the events, visit the official Mustang birthday website (www.mustang50thbirthdaycelebration.com) or the website of the Mustang Club of America (www.mustang.org).

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