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
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Last updated: February 26, 2015