News Release

50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing Celebrated At LBJ Ranch in “Movies Under the Stars” Series

Date: August 20, 2019
Contact: Antoine Fletcher, 830-868-7128 ext. 231

Stonewall, Texas -- This year’s final “Movies Under the Stars” at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park will take place on Saturday, September 7, with a special screening of Apollo 11. This fascinating documentary chronicles America’s mission to land on the moon, led by Commander Neil Armstrong and fellow astronauts Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins. Apollo 11 is told in the present tense, and features never-before-seen footage of one of humanities greatest accomplishments.

All festivities are scheduled to take place at the LBJ Ranch district of the park beginning at 2:30 pm with various space exploration activities for kids. Learn how to build rockets and design parachutes with the Science Mill. Come before 6:30pm to meet the “night sky wizard” of Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky and learn about the dangers of light pollution and what you can do to protect the night sky. The park will also have free “Spaceflight Explorer” Junior Ranger books available for the young and young-at-heart. At 6:00pm movie-goers can eat like the astronauts with free freeze-dried ice-cream!

Award winning historian and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Douglas Brinkley will give a talk on space exploration at 7pm. His recent book American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race chronicles one of the most thrilling, hopeful, and turbulent eras in the nation’s history. As always, we will have a movie trivia contest before the screening of the movie at sundown. 

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and President Johnson had an intense commitment to the Space program throughout his political career. As Senate majority leader, Lyndon Johnson played a key role in passing legislation for the creation of NASA and as Vice-President in overseeing efforts to land on the moon. Additionally, President Johnson invited members of the Space program to the LBJ Ranch, many of these members signed his Friendship Stones. 

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and refreshments. The program is offered free of charge. The entrance to the LBJ Ranch is located north of US Highway 290, just off of Ranch Road 1. Parking is available near the movie site. Well-behaved and leashed pets are welcome. In case of inclement weather, call 830-644-2396 for updates on possible postponement.
  
The LBJ Ranch hangar visitor center will be open from 7:00 pm through the end of the film. Visitors are welcome to explore the interactive exhibits, including Space Exhibits, and shop the Western National Parks Association sales outlet. The park gates will remain open throughout the evening for this event.


Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is open seven days a week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
For more information call 830-868-7128 ext. 231 or 244, or visit www.nps.gov/lyjo and www.facebook.com/LBJohnsonNPS.

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.