USS Intrepid Celebrates All Things American for the Fourth
The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in
New York City is celebrating the Fourth of July with its third annual
Red, White and Blue Festival.
Located in Hudson River Park, the Intrepid will offer all types of
patriotic activities between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on July 2, Denise Downing, the museum's director of public relations and event programming, said.
Visitors to the museum will enjoy make-and-take arts and crafts,
temporary tattoos, as well as patriotic coloring sheets and puzzles as part of the education station.
The education station is being expanded from last year's offering, and
museum educators will be on hand to answer questions, Downing said.
"They'll be ... really, really, working with the families who sit down to
take part in this to answer any questions and teach them the importance
of Independence Day," she added.
In addition to the museum's usual displays and the education station,
there will be an apple pie eating contest and prizes for the most
patriotic outfit.
The pie-eating contest, held on the flight deck at noon, is a big deal
that draws the attention of professional "eaters", Downing said. "We
have to, unfortunately, tell them that it's more for fun."
Contestants compete in four age categories - under 5, 6-11, 12-17 and
over 18. The object is to see who can eat a slice of pie the fastest,
but there's a twist.
"We give each of them ... a slice of pie and they have to eat it with
no hands," Downing said. "In order to win, they have to finish their
slice of pie, take their plate and turn it upside down over their head.
"The first plate to hit the first head is the first-prize winner," she
added. Contestants are allowed to use their hands to get the plate from
the table to their head.
Prizes are usually awarded to the three fastest eaters.
To make the patriotic festival complete there also will be patriotic
music. Visitors will hear everything from "America the Beautiful" to Tom
Petty's "American Girl." It's the national anthem, however, that
Downing said is the best part of the music.
Downing said the weekend, part of the Intrepid's Summer Salute to
Heroes, is a very patriotic weekend aboard the museum. Fireworks and
barbecues are still big, but people also are looking for something educational
and even a little heroic. That fits with the Intrepid's mission of
"Honoring our heroes, educating the public, inspiring our youth," she
added.
"We see a lot more people taking road trips with their families and
staying within the country to visit those sites that are important to our
nation's history," Downing said. "We've noticed we've become a really
top destinations for families (during the Fourth of July weekend)."
The Summer Salute to Heroes began with Fleet Week during Memorial Day
weekend and will conclude with firefighter, Coast Guard and police
appreciation weekends throughout August, Downing said. It ends with the
Hometown Hero Essay Contest that invites residents of the tri-state area to
nominate their hometown hero in one of four categories.
The deadline for the contest has not been decided yet but will be
posted on the Intrepid's Web site when it is, Downing said.
A ticket to tour the museum, a World War II aircraft carrier, grants
visitors access to the festival as well. Admission for active duty
servicemembers is free.
New York City is celebrating the Fourth of July with its third annual Red, White and Blue Festival.
Located in Hudson River Park, the Intrepid will offer all types of
patriotic activities between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on July 2, Denise Downing, the museum's director of public relations and event programming, said.
Visitors to the museum will enjoy make-and-take arts and crafts,
temporary tattoos, as well as patriotic coloring sheets and puzzles as part of the education station.
The education station is being expanded from last year's offering, and
museum educators will be on hand to answer questions, Downing said.
"They'll be ... really, really, working with the families who sit down to
take part in this to answer any questions and teach them the importance
of Independence Day," she added.
In addition to the museum's usual displays and the education station,
there will be an apple pie eating contest and prizes for the most
patriotic outfit.
The pie-eating contest, held on the flight deck at noon, is a big deal
that draws the attention of professional "eaters", Downing said. "We
have to, unfortunately, tell them that it's more for fun."
Contestants compete in four age categories - under 5, 6-11, 12-17 and
over 18. The object is to see who can eat a slice of pie the fastest,
but there's a twist.
"We give each of them ... a slice of pie and they have to eat it with
no hands," Downing said. "In order to win, they have to finish their
slice of pie, take their plate and turn it upside down over their head.
"The first plate to hit the first head is the first-prize winner," she
added. Contestants are allowed to use their hands to get the plate from
the table to their head.
Prizes are usually awarded to the three fastest eaters.
To make the patriotic festival complete there also will be patriotic
music. Visitors will hear everything from "America the Beautiful" to Tom
Petty's "American Girl." It's the national anthem, however, that
Downing said is the best part of the music.
Downing said the weekend, part of the Intrepid's Summer Salute to
Heroes, is a very patriotic weekend aboard the museum. Fireworks and
barbecues are still big, but people also are looking for something educational
and even a little heroic. That fits with the Intrepid's mission of
"Honoring our heroes, educating the public, inspiring our youth," she
added.
"We see a lot more people taking road trips with their families and
staying within the country to visit those sites that are important to our
nation's history," Downing said. "We've noticed we've become a really
top destinations for families (during the Fourth of July weekend)."
The Summer Salute to Heroes began with Fleet Week during Memorial Day
weekend and will conclude with firefighter, Coast Guard and police
appreciation weekends throughout August, Downing said. It ends with the
Hometown Hero Essay Contest that invites residents of the tri-state area to
nominate their hometown hero in one of four categories.
The deadline for the contest has not been decided yet but will be
posted on the Intrepid's Web site when it is, Downing said.
A ticket to tour the museum, a World War II aircraft carrier, grants
visitors access to the festival as well. Admission for active duty
servicemembers is free.
