The Star-Spangled Banner Weekend

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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

 



Last updated: February 26, 2015

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

2400 East Fort Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21230

Phone:

410 962-4290 x250

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