New Orleans will serve as the inaugural city in a three-year national celebration commemorating the War of 1812 and the Star-Spangled Banner.
The 2012 celebration will take place April 17 – 23, 2012, featuring a colorful spectacle of ships spreading on the East Bank of the Mississippi River from Erato Street to Upper Poland Avenue. Additionally, the Navy’s famed Blue Angels will perform a memorable air show as part of the week’s festivities.
The U.S. Navy’s amphibious warship USS Wasp, along with other large navy vessels, will welcome Class A tall ships from countries around the world to New Orleans, joining the U.S. Navy and OpSail 2012 for the celebration. The theme, “Our Flag Was Still There,” will mark the festivities in seven ports and across the country.
In each of the port cities, beginning with New Orleans, ships will be open for public visiting, and citizens will have the opportunity to interact with sailors from around the world. In addition to the Navy fleet and tall ships lining the Port, and the Blue Angels air show, activities will include official visits among regional dignitaries and Navy leadership, visiting sailors engaged in friendly sporting competitions, a seafood cook-off, and regional outreach and community service projects by visiting sailors.
“From 2012 to 2015, the United States Navy and its partners, including Operation Sail, Inc., will commemorate the War of 1812 and the writing of our national anthem, the Star- Spangled banner,” U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said. “It is remarkable that 200 years ago, one of the first wars in our country’s history was fought against nations who have become our closest allies.”
“Bringing the tall ships of the world back to U.S. waters for the commemoration of this glorious American milestone excites the imagination,” said chairman of Operation Sail, Inc., Jose Fuentes. “Throughout 2012-2015, millions of people will witness these graceful and majestic sailing ships as they parade in together, and celebrate brotherhood of the sea, and of our freedoms.”
WHAT:
The Blue Angels, the U. S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron, will put on an air show at the New Orleans Lakefront. A Blue Angels flight demonstration exhibits choreographed refinements of skills possessed by all naval aviators. The Blue Angels’ C-130, affectionately known as Fat Albert, begins each demonstration by exhibiting its maximum performance capabilities during a ten-minute performance. Shortly thereafter, you will see the graceful aerobatic maneuvers of the four-jet Diamond Formation, in concert with the fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two Solo pilots. Finally, the team illustrates the pinnacle of precision flying, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation.
WHEN & WHERE:
Saturday, April 21, 2012
BLUE ANGEL PUBLIC AIR SHOW OVER LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN
Lakefront, from University of New Orleans to Lakefront Airport
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Blue Angels performance
Please take the bus, carpool and bike to the show, because parking is limited. Shuttles will be available (location TBD)
Sunday, April 22, 2012
BLUE ANGEL PUBLIC AIR SHOW OVER LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN
Lakefront, from University of New Orleans to Lakefront Airport
1:30 pm – 4:00 pm Blue Angels performance
Please take the bus, carpool and bike to the show, because parking is limited. Shuttles will be available (location TBD)
WHY:
NOLA Navy Week is a kickoff to a three year commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 that will also end in New Orleans in 2015. Other ports the tall ships and military vessels will visit are the Atlantic Coast in New York, Norfolk, Baltimore, Boston, and New London. Commemoration events in the Great Lakes will take place in Milwaukee, Chicago, Toledo, Cleveland, Detroit, and Buffalo.