Liberty Weekend
Liberty Weekend was a four-day celebration held to celebrate the
July 3, 1986: opening ceremonies
The Opening Ceremonies of Liberty Weekend were held on July 3, 1986 at
Reagan spoke of the friendship between France and the United States with an emphasis on the workers conducting the restoration work. He then unveiled the Statue for the first time since its restoration. This was followed by musical performances by
The temperature in the harbor was about 40 °F (5 °C) that night with a sharp wind blowing across Governors Island.
July 4, 1986: Operation Sail, Americana music concert, and fireworks
On the morning of July 4, 1986 the
He described the ships as a personification of freedom and liberty:Perhaps, indeed, these vessels embody our conception of liberty itself: to have before one no impediments, only open spaces; to chart one's own course and take the adventure of life as it comes; to be free as the wind – as free as the tall ships themselves. It's fitting, then, that this procession should take place in honor of Lady Liberty.
Participants in Operation Sail 1986:
- USCGC Eagle (United States)
- Ernestina (United States)
- Danmark (Denmark)
- PH Jeanne d'Arc (FR)
- HMS Sirius (UK)
- HMS Cleopatra (UK)
- HMS Ark Royal (UK)
- Christian Radich (Norway)
- Schulschiff "Deutschland" 61/62 AAR
- Libertad (Argentina)
- Zenobe Gramme (Belgium)
- Bluenose II (Canada)
- Esmeralda (Chile)
- ARC Gloria (Colombia)
- BAE Guayas (Ecuador)
- Belem (France)
- Dewaruci (Indonesia)
- Galaxy (Israel)
- Amerigo Vespucci (Italy)
- ARM Cuauhtémoc (Mexico)
- HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen (The Netherlands)
- Sorlandet (Norway)
- Shabab Oman (Oman)
- NRP Sagres (Portugal)
- Juan Sebastian de Elcano (Spain)
- Svanen of Stockholm (Sweden)
- Calida (Scotland)
- Capitan Miranda (Uruguay)
- Simón Bolívar (Venezuela)
- Elissa (United States)
- Spirit of Massachusetts (United States)
- Gazela of Philadelphia (United States)
- SES Lotus (United States)
- RFA Resource (UK)
Later, the
.This was followed by an address by Reagan aboard USS John F. Kennedy and a 30-minute fireworks display and concert, scored and conducted by Joe Raposo, the highlight of the night. It was the largest fireworks display in American history, and at the time the largest in the world. The display included 22,000 aerial fireworks, launched from 30 barges and other vantage points, in addition to 18,000 set pieces. It was co-produced by four family-owned fireworks firms, namely the Zambelli, Grucci, Santore and Sousa families.[3]
July 5, 1986: grand reopening, concert
On July 5, 1986, First Lady Nancy Reagan re-opened the statue to the public accompanied by 100 French and American young singers: Paris Boys Choir & Harlem Boys Choir.
At 4:30 pm, a "Great Blimp Race" took place over the Hudson River with four airships racing against each other for charity on a 12-mile course from the
That night, a joint concert by the New York Philharmonic and the US Marine Band was held in Central Park conducted by Zubin Mehta and Col. John Bourgeois with special guests (in order) Plácido Domingo, Joseph Flummerfelt, Marilyn Horne, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Sherrill Milnes and Leona Mitchell. At that time, a record-breaking 800,000 people were reported to have attended (largest audience in the world until 1994, and still the largest ever in the US and third largest ever recorded worldwide).
July 6, 1986: closing ceremonies
The closing ceremonies took place at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. The closing ceremonies featured a tribute to sports and pop culture, with the following performers and speakers (in order): Fabian Forte, Frankie Avalon, Buddy DeFranco, Charlton Heston, Waylon Jennings, Gene Kelly, Patti LaBelle, Gerry Mulligan, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, The Pointer Sisters, Manhattan Transfer, The Golden Boys of Bandstand, Shirley MacLaine, and Liza Minnelli.
Broadcast
The entire event was broadcast on ABC with Peter Jennings and Barbara Walters as commentators.[2] ABC News had paid $10 million for broadcasting rights. CBS also broadcast parts of the event, including Operation Sail 1986. Christian recording artist Sandi Patty recorded a new version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" which was played as part of the broadcast.
Production
In his book Even This I Get To Experience, television personality Norman Lear stated that he was the one who produced the four-day special, which he described as "my parade" of "tall ships."[4] Lear also stated that he used the Israeli ship, The Galaxy, which set sail during the event, to host a private party celebrating his upcoming marriage to his fiancée Lyn and that he in part made the special so it was to coincide with this party as well.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Fourth of July 1986: Liberty Weekend Thirty Years Later". Reagan Education Blog. 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ a b "Liberty Weekend offers full schedule of events". Palm Beach Post. July 3, 1986. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- ^ "Largest Fireworks Displays in History". U.S. Fireworks blog. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-14-312796-3. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
- Liberty Weekend. ABC. KOVR. 3–6 July 1986.
- Liberty Weekend: Commemorative Edition. Videocassette. ABC Video Enterprises, 1986.
- Bond, L.E. Statue of Liberty: Beacon of Promise. Santa Barbara, CA: Albion Group, 1990. 34–37.
- July 7, 1986 article in Time magazine about the event
- [1] from the official website of David Wolper, television and film producer, who produced the event