News Release

FORT MCHENRY NATIONAL MONUMENT & HISTORIC SHRINE COMMEMORATES DEFENDERS’ DAY 2021 SEPTEMBER 17-18

Date: September 9, 2021
Contact: Abbi Wicklein-Bayne, 410 962-4290 x201

“A TRIBUTE TO BALTIMORE: COMMUNITY. SERVICE. SACRIFICE.”WITH MUSIC, LIVING HISTORY, U.S. ARMY & EVENING LUMINARIES

Public invited to celebrate Baltimore’s oldest continuously celebrated holiday “Defenders’ Day” & the writing of our National Anthem in 1814 –New this year:Evening luminaries light up the Fort and grounds for rare nighttime event

WHAT: DEFENDERS’ DAY WEEKEND- September 17 & 18, 2021

This year’s theme: “A Tribute to Baltimore: Community. Service. Sacrifice.”
Commemorates Defenders’ Day, Baltimore’s oldest holiday, which honors the successful defense of the city from British attack and the writing of the National Anthem in 1814! Celebrated continuously each year since the Brits sailed away in 1814!

Highlights include: 

• FREE Saturday Evening opening where 1213 luminaries will light up the Fort’s ramparts and grounds

• Daytime 1814 Living History with both Citizen and Soldier encampments, musket and cannon firings

• Musical performances by the Fort McHenry Guard Fife & Drum Corps and U.S. Army Musical Groups including the Jazz Band, Jazztet, and the Brass Quintet

• The U.S. Army Old Guard, U.S. Army Drill Team and the U.S. Army Commander-In-Chief’s Guard will perform

• United States Citizen and Immigration Services Naturalization (USCIS) Ceremony to swear in new U.S. citizens

• U.S. Army Military District of Washington New Soldier Enlistment Ceremony featuring local recruits

Event Schedule:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17: 6:30 p.m.

• Procession: The Fort McHenry Guard in 1814 garb, a contingent of National Park Service Rangers in their distinctive “green & gray”, along with National Park Trust Mascot Buddy Bison will parade a replica of the big “Star-Spangled Banner” flag. Local residents and visitors are invited to “find their park” by cheering the procession and waving flags as they pass by. The park's main entrance gates close at 5 p.m. - Hull Street to Fort Avenue to Fort McHenry’s gates

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18: 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.  

• 9:00 a.m.: USCIS Naturalization Ceremony for new citizens after the flag-raising - Next to the flagpole in the star-fort

• 10:00 a.m.: Raising of the giant 30 x 42-foot Star-Spangled Banner flag over the star-shaped Fort (weather-permitting)

• 10:00 a.m.: U.S. Army Jazz Band performance - Near the Visitor Center

• 10:30 a.m.: U.S. Army Field Jazztet performance - Near the Water Battery

• 10:50 a.m.: U.S. Army Drill Team performance - Near the Water Battery

• 11:00 a.m.: Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps performance - Near the Water Battery

• 11:15 a.m.: U.S. Army Brass Quintet performance - Inside historic star fort

• 11:30 a.m.: U.S. Army Drill team performance - On the parade ground of the historic star fort

• 11:40 a.m.: U.S. Army Brass Quintet performance - Inside the star fort

• 11:50 a.m.: U.S. Army Baltimore Command Enlistment Ceremony for local recruits - Inside the star-fort

• Following the enlistment ceremony - Fort McHenry Guard Fife & Drum Corps performance – Inside the star-fort

• 12:00 Noon: Flag raising ceremony with National Anthem performed by the U.S. Army Brass Quintet

• 1:00 – 4 p.m.: Walking Tours with Park Rangers to experience living history of the 1814 Defenders with both Citizen and Soldier encampments, musket and cannon firings – Throughout the Grounds

• 4:00 p.m.: Evening flag change – Inside the star-fort
• 5:00 p.m.: Main gate closed (will reopen at 7:00 p.m. for evening program)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18: 7:00 p.m. – 10 p.m.
FREE rare Evening Program begins at 7:30 p.m.  Gates reopen at 7:00 p.m.

• 7:30 p.m.: Fort McHenry’s new Superintendent David Moore welcomes visitors – At Orpheus Statue

• 7:30 p.m.: Luminary Opening – 1213 luminaries (glowing bags with lights inside), one for each soldier and sailor who defended the Fort & Baltimore in 1814, will ring the star-fort’s ramparts and other areas of the grounds

• 8 p.m.:  First self-guided evening walk to see the glowing luminaries and the Citizen and Soldier Living History Encampments lit by campfires and lanterns for a magical evening experience – Start at Orpheus Statue then around the Grounds

• 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Tours will occur every half hour – Start at Orpheus Statue then around the Grounds

• 10 p.m.:  Musical Tattoo and flag change. Fort grounds close.

Park Event Hours: Friday 9/17: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday 9/18 9 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Gates close at 5:00 p.m. then open again 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. p.m. (Free after 7 p.m.); and Sunday 9/19 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Note: Not all parts of the grounds and buildings are accessible to people with disabilities

Park Admission: Admission to enter the Star Fort is $15 per adult (ages 16 and up). The Visitor Center film, exhibits and grounds are free. Children aged 15 and under are free. The Saturday evening program is free starting at 7 p.m.

About Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine: During the Battle of Baltimore, September 13 – 14, 1814, the valiant defense of the star-shaped Fort McHenry against the might of the British navy inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The 15 broad stripes and 15 bright stars still fly over the Fort twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, by Congressional order. The Fort was used continuously in a variety of ways through WWII. Most famous as the birthplace of our National Anthem. Located at 2400 E. Fort Ave., Baltimore MD 21230
For more information go to www.nps.gov/fomc 
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