Fort! Flag! Fire! at Fort McHenry

Fort! Flag! Fire! Schedule – June 28 – September 1, 2014 at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine Ranger Programs (seven days a week)

Fort! Flag! Fire! combines three of the most engaging ways to experience Fort McHenry – tours of the historic star fort, hoisting of the grand 30-by-42-foot flag over the ramparts and cannon firing.  

For a total immersion experience, guests visiting the fort Wednesday through Sunday will encounter living history participants dressed in the uniforms of the soldiers, sailors and civilians from the War of 1812; and there will be cannon firing, fife and drum  concerts, cooking demonstrations and children’s activities. 

10:15 a.m. – “Hoist the Colors! Flag-Raising at Fort McHenry” Visitors join the park ranger to help raise the grand 30-by-42-foot Star-Spangled Banner flag over the ramparts of the historic fort.  

11:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. – The “Keynote” Story! Learn the story of Francis Scott Key seeing the Star-Spangled Banner “by dawn’s early light.” In this interactive program, visitors move model ships, figures of British soldiers and small flags as the ranger tells the story of the events leading up to the writing of our national anthem.

12:15 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 4:15 p.m. – “Broad Stripes and Bright Stars!” In this hands-on ranger talk, visitors unroll the full-sized replica Star-Spangled Banner flag. Experience 30-by-42- feet of “pure awesome” by unrolling the large flag on the exact site where it flew in 1814.  

2:15 p.m. “The Battle of Baltimore and Birth of the Anthem” Discover what it was like to be a defender at the fort in 1814 by becoming a member of the gun crew. Visitors will learn why the British wanted to take Baltimore and then will be “drafted” into the militia. The talk concludes with visitors standing on the fort’s gun deck looking downriver to the location of Key’s ship and the British fleet.

2:15 p.m. History’s “Wildcard Weekend!”  (Saturdays and Sundays only) In history’s “wildcards” of the famous and infamous, visitors may meet one of the well-known characters from 1814. This grab-bag of history includes: Francis Scott Key; Mary Pickersgill, who made the large flag; Major George Armistead, who commanded Fort McHenry; a British soldier from the 4th Regiment of Foot; and Dr. William Beanes, who was indirectly responsible for Francis Scott Key writing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” 

5:15 p.m. “Lower the Colors” The American flag flies 24 hours a day by presidential proclamation at Fort McHenry. Join the ranger for a flag change as the 1814-style American flag is changed to the modern one. “Taps” is ceremoniously played at the conclusion of the program. 

Living History Programs (Wednesday through Sunday only)

11 a.m. and 2 p.m.  “A Blast from the Past!” Soldiers and sailors muster on the gun deck to load and fire the fort’s great guns. Learn why the British ships turned and sailed away the morning after the battle, and see the cannon-crew in action. If you like smoke and noise, this demonstration is for you!

Noon and 3 p.m.  “Fun and Fury with Fife and Drum!” Hear the thunderous beat of the drums and the inspiring fifes of the Fort McHenry Guard’s nationally recognized fife and drum corps. Dressed in their hallmark red uniforms of U.S. field music, the fifes and drums play original pieces from 1814. Hear about how music inspired the troops, regulated the duty day and reflected the ethnic diversity of the young United States. 

1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – “Citizens Stand!” and “Young Defenders!” Discover how average Baltimoreans contributed to the city’s defense from the British in “Citizens Stand!” At this station, visitors will learn about flag-making, fashions from 1814, historic cooking and life on the home front.  

Located near the “Citizens Stand” tent, “Young Defenders” presents children’s activities. At this station, the young and young at heart can drill with wooden muskets, help stitch a flag, engage in cutlass drill, try on a replica historic outfit or write a letter using the same types of quill and ink Francis Scott Key used when he wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner.