Date: September 3, 2008
Contact: Vince Vaise, 410-962-4290
194th Annual Defenders Day
The Star-Spangled Banner Weekend
Schedule of Activities
Saturday, September 13
8:00 PARK OPENS FOR VISITATION
9:00 Roll Calls, Inspections in camps
10:00 Dress parade in fort - flag raising - large 30x42-foot flag to be hoisted
10:30 - 4:00 Ongoing living history programs in camps. Children can be "recruited" at the enlistment tent, learn musket drill with wooden muskets and see a 30x42-foot "Star-Spangled Banner Flag!
11:00 "Defend the Battery!" Demonstration by U.S. Marines. (Water Battery) Cannon and musket firing
11:30 "The Biggest and Best Flag that Ever Flew" – author Rebecca Jones will do a 20-minute talk on her children’s book. Geared for children (20 minutes)
12:00 Troops take noon meal.
12:00 "Lest We Forget" Wreath laying ceremony by the Society of the War of 1812(Armistead Plaza)
12:20 "The Burning of Washington Birth of the Anthem" - a 20-minute talk by noted author Anthony Pitch about the British attack and capture of the capital in 1814.
12:45 "What stirring Music!" – Fife and Drum concert in the fort.
1:30 "The Biggest and Best Flag that Ever Flew" – author Rebecca Jones will do a 20- minute talk on her children’s book. Geared for children (20 minutes)
2:00 "The Sounds of Battle" - 30-minute musket and cannon-firing demonstration by living history units. Narrator will discuss how land battles were fought during the War of 1812.
2:30 "The Burning of Washington & Birth of the Anthem" - a 20-minute talk by author Anthony Pitch about the British attack and capture of the capital in 1814.
3:00 "What stirring Music!" - Fife and Drum concert in the fort. Program will end with marching to Water Battery.
3:30 "Defend the Battery!" Demonstration by U.S. Marines. (Water Battery) Musket and cannon-firing demonstration
4:00 "What stirring Music!" - Fife and Drum concert in the fort.
4:30 Flag Change and ranger talk in fort
4:45 Star Fort is closed for evening following the Flag Change.
6:00 Evening Program Begins (FREE)
* Welcome by Alan Walden, Master of Ceremonies
* Address by Gay Vietzke, General Superintendent of Fort McHenry NM&HS
* Invocation
* Speaker, President, Society of the War of 1812
* Congressional Delegation
* Governor Martin O’Malley
* Doug Jimerson 3 songs
* Musket firing tactical
* SPAA Singers
* Friends give Francis Scott Key Award
* Chesapeake Concert Band
* Reenactment, Artillery, Fireworks
* Songs of the Federal Era, concert by Doug Jimerson
* Tactical Demonstration - musket firing, cannon firing, fife and drum music, troops will recreate a battle scenario indicative of the land battles fought during the War of 1812.
* Demonstration concludes grand review of all units.
* Concert by Society for the Preservation of African-American Life and History
Historic African-American spirituals likely sung during the defense of the city in 1814.
* Presentation of Francis Scott Key Award by Friends of Fort McHenry.
* Concert by Chesapeake Concert Band – Patriotic Music – Noted pieces by John Philip Sousa, other pieces include "The Fort McHenry March" and "Fort McHenry Guard March."
* Ship to shore bombardment of Fort - Fireworks barge shoots "red rockets" over the fort as the battery of howitzers of the 110th Field Artillery, U.S Army National Guard replies!
* Hoisting of the 30x42-foot American flag and playing of the National Anthem.
* Fireworks by Zambelli!!
Sunday, September. 14
7:30 Reveille and Breakfast for soldiers
8:00 PARK OPENS
8:45 Troops gather in the fort, flag raised at 9:00 a.m. All participate in singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the exact time, exact day, 194 years later!
10:30 Cannon-firing demonstration near the fort
11:00 "Defend the Battery!" Sailors and Marines musket-firing demo (Water Battery)
12:00 "Causes, Conflict and Citizen-Soldiers – What WAS the War of 1812?" Join Ross Kimmel to discuss the many causes of the War of 1812 and the those who fought it.
12:00 Lunch for reenactors
1:00 "Defend the Battery!" Sailors and Marines musket firing demo (Water Battery)
2:00 Military review of units in fort, taking down of the big, 30x42-foot flag.
3:00 Event concludes, units depart
