We won't have old Millard Fillmore to kick around anymore. 

The name of the fairly obscure 13th president of the United States had been used for 14 years to designate the St. Paul Riverfront Corp.'s annual dinner to celebrate St. Paul redevelopment successes and the city’s ties to the Mississippi River.

But starting May 14, the annual civic event will be known as “The Great River Gathering: Celebrating St. Paul on the Mississippi.””

The riverfront group always found that the Fillmore moniker took some explaining for newcomers: After his stint in the White House, Fillmore led an 1854 delegation of business people to St. Paul, via riverboat, as a marketing move to attract development to the thriving city on the Mississippi River.

Unfortunately, the boats arrived at the landing a day early, and the visitors apparently were a bit miffed when the expected welcoming ceremonies didn't materialize.

City officials decided to memorialize the Excursion in 2004 -- its 150th anniversary. The Millard Fillmore dinners were held annually for the 10 years leading up to the event, with increasing attendance. And there was a Grand Excursion reenactment in 2004, riverboats arriving and all. This time, there was quite a welcome.

Patrick Seeb, executive director of the Riverfront Corp., now says it's time for a new dinner name.

“The Fillmore name was tied to a period of time when we were preparing for the Grand Excursion, using that event as a catalyst for the first phase of riverfront revitalization in St. Paul,” said Seeb. “We are excited to introduce a new name that represents St. Paul’s love of the Mississippi, our work on the National Great River Park, and the fact that for 15 years we’ve gathered together for St. Paul’s town dinner.”

The tenor of the evening won't change, he said.

“We’ll still gather at the RiverCentre and enjoy a robust networking reception, followed by dinner and a program that highlights St. Paul’s progress over the past year."