FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2014
CONTACTS:
Chris Haugh, Scenic Byway & Special Projects Manager, Tourism Council of Frederick County, ChHaugh@fredco-md.net, 301-600-4045
Charissa Hipp, Digital Marketing & Media Relations Manager, Tourism Council of Frederick County, chipp@fredco-md.net, 301-600-4023
WEB RESOURCES:
Home of the Brave blog post: http://bit.ly/HomeOfTheBrave
Home of the Brave rack card: http://www.visitfrederick.org/media/media/download/670
SOCIAL MEDIA HASHTAGS:
#FSKFrederick
#StarSpangled200
IMAGES (attached):
Home of the Brave Logo
New 1812 Grave Marker at Mount Olivet Cemetery, credit Tourism Council of Frederick County
Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Commemoration Home of the Brave to Honor War of 1812 Veterans at Mount Olivet Cemetery and Frederick’s Native Son, Francis Scott Key
Frederick, MD -- Frederick will commemorate the 200th anniversary of Francis Scott Key’s writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” during a two-part event, Home of the Brave, this weekend September 13 and 14. The event will pay homage to the War of 1812 militiamen buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery and will examine the individual stories of some of those Frederick County natives. It will also explore the story behind Francis Scott Key’s writing of the national anthem and ways the anthem has been used throughout history.
Mount Olivet Cemetery holds the second highest concentration of War of 1812 veterans in the state of Maryland, second behind Baltimore’s Greenmount Cemetery. Although no battles or skirmishes occurred here in Frederick County, the citizenry proudly took up arms in this Second War of Independence in an effort to keep this area and surrounding region safe and secure.
On Saturday, September 13, Frederick will celebrate the achievements of its participants in the Second War for Independence. Home of the Brave begins at 7:30 pm in Mount Olivet Cemetery with the 10-minute orientation film from Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore. After the film, spectators can join a candlelit procession on foot through Mount Olivet Cemetery, led by a costumed guide and a horse-drawn wagon. Fifteen of the cemetery’s 108-known War of 1812 veterans will be portrayed by costumed re-enactors. For those not wishing to do the 1 1/2 hour long, half mile walk, a PowerPoint presentation will be displayed in the main seating area with the live audio feed from the procession. The tour will end at the gravesite of Francis Scott Key. After a fife and drum performance there will be a solemn roll call of the 108 veterans’ names. The finale for Saturday’s commemoration will be a fireworks display set off from Harry Grove Stadium.
On Sunday, September 14, the focus for Home of the Brave turns from Frederick’s War of 1812 veterans to Francis Scott Key. A graveside ceremony will begin at 7 am at Mount Olivet Cemetery, roughly 200 years to the hour of FSK’s original moment of inspiration to write what would eventually become our country’s national anthem. The ceremony includes the screening of Mark Hildebrand’s film Anthem, which tells the story behind FSK’s creation of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and explores the role of music and patriotism during the War of 1812. There will be a wreath laying, instrumental and vocal musical performances, and first person interpretation by living historians.
Parking is available adjacent to Mount Olivet Cemetery at nearby Harry Grove Stadium and Lincoln Elementary School. Both Saturday and Sunday’s events have exact start times with dramatic openings. Event organizers suggest spectators arrive within plenty of time to get seated, which is first come, first served. Seating is limited so feel free to bring lawn chairs for overflow seating. If inclement weather should occur, please go to www.visitfrederick.org for alterations to time and location of programs.
Home of the Brave is sponsored by the Francis Scott Key Memorial Foundation; Star Spangled 200; the Tourism Council of Frederick County; and the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA), an instrumentality of the State of Maryland. Special thanks goes to the Frederick Keys; Sons of the American Revolution; Daughters of the American Revolution; Daughters of the War of 1812; Boy Scouts of America, Frederick County; FSK Lions Club; Choral Arts Society of Frederick; and the talented 1812 living historians from Brookeville (MD).
The Tourism Council of Frederick County (TCFC) is the recognized Destination Marketing Organization for Frederick City and Frederick County, Maryland. It operates the Frederick Visitor Center and related programs that include Destination Marketing and Group Tour Marketing. For information about more things to see and do in Frederick County, visit www.visitfrederick.org or call 1-800-999-3613.
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Charissa Hipp, CTA
Digital Marketing & Media Relations Manager
Visit Frederick
151 S. East Street, Frederick, MD 21701
301-600-4023