America's Anniversary Weekend

A spectacular display of fireworks timed to the music of a 400-piece orchestra and 1607-voice chorale soared over the shores of the James River on the night of May 13 to conclude the centerpiece event of the commemoration -- America’s Anniversary Weekend. The finale capped three days of festivities, entertainment, educational exhibits, cultural programs, celebrity performances and special commemorative ceremonies that included Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, President George Bush, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’ Connor, Governor Timothy Kaine and many other national, statewide and local leaders.

More than 63,000 people attended at least one day of this historic event, which showcased a “new” Jamestown story made possible by compelling research and recent archaeological discoveries. The historic role and legacies of Jamestown were highlighted in new world-class museums and living-history areas built at the Jamestown sites and echoed in exhibits and continuous entertainment at Anniversary Park.

Anniversary Weekend spanned three adjacent sites, Historic Jamestowne, Jamestown Settlement and Anniversary Park, a former campground transformed into a unique festival area with multiple stages, presentations and pavilions.

Each day of Anniversary Weekend offered special one-time events.

Entertainment Lineup

Exhibits and Attractions


Friday, May 11

Stamp collectors and enthusiasts of all ages participated in the first-day issuance of the U.S. Postal Service’s commemorative “Settlement of Jamestown” stamp. The weekend’s official opening -Welcome America took place in a two-part program, which began at Historic Jamestowne with a special re-dedication of the original site, Virginia Indian welcome ceremony, and keynote address by Governor Timothy M. Kaine.

Performance Highlights:
Welcome America concluded in Anniversary Park at Anniversary Stage with the first-ever combined performances by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of JoAnn Falletta, and Richmond Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Mark Russell Smith. The two orchestras played separately and then combined – for the first time ever – to premier new works by John Corigliano, John Duffy, Adolphus Hailstork and Jennifer Higdon written especially for the commemoration.

Saturday, May 12

Performance Highlights:

“400 Minutes of Music,” was one of the many highlights of Saturday's events. An afternoon-long program featuring contemporary rock infused with native American musical traditions from Brule’, a mix of folk, world, blues and soul music from South African artist Vusi Mahlasela, folk roots music from Michael Seeger, poetic urban folk from Jen Chapin, and alternative country from Scott Miller & The Commonwealth. The afternoon was capped by three-time Grammy winner Bruce Hornsby & The Noise Makers who brought the crowd of thousands to their feet with an evening of old favorites, rock, R&B and progressive bluegrass. Bruce was joined by legendary funk and R&B artist Chaka Khan, as well as progressive bluegrass master Ricky Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder.

Sunday, May 13

Anniversary Stage was the focal point for special events on Sunday, May 13. Four hundred years to the day of the original settlers’ arrival at Jamestown, President George W. Bush addressed an audience of approximately 25,000 guests to mark the historic occasion, Seated on the dais with President and Mrs. Bush were Governor and Mrs. Kaine, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, U.S. Congressman Bobby Scott, key legislators from the Virginia General Assembly, representatives of the Virginia Indian and African American advisory Councils and Jamestown 2007 committee leadership. The morning’s festivities also included a videotaped message from NASA via the International Space Station, a dramatic “fly over” by jets from Langley Air Force Base, and stirring performances by a special 400-piece orchestra and 1607-voice choir with participants from every state in the nation.

Performance Highlights:

Sunday’s “Celebrations of Culture,” a colorful pageant of music featured the traditions of the three cultures that came together at Jamestown. Governor Kaine and his family helped close the ceremony, followed by an original dramatic recreation of the Jamestown story entitled “Journey of Destiny.” The 400-piece orchestra and 1607-voice choir returned for a fanfare of patriotic and film-score favorites accompanied by a magnificent fanfare of fireworks finale.

Check out our photo gallery for memories of America's 400th Anniversary Weekend!

Anniversary Weekend Entertainment and Exhibit Booths:

Information booths located in every section of Anniversary Park, staffed by Jamestown 2007 and trained volunteers, ensured that guests were apprised of the many activities, amenities and special events of the day. A constant flow of guests filled the park each day from its 10 a.m. opening, staying through the special evening performances and entertainment.

· Children enjoying hoops and other colonial-era games and families sampling the wares of Colonial Williamsburg’s chocolate-makers were familiar sights on entering Democracy Village. The first area encountered on entering Anniversary Park, Democracy Village, invited visitors to observe historical crafts and participate in colonial-period games at Colonial Williamsburg’s exhibit; learn about the contributions made by the three cultures that converged at Jamestown in the American People, American Progress gallery; and enjoy performances given on stage by choral and musical ensembles as well as an original commemorative production. Entitled “Visions of Democracy,” it traced the development of – and challenges to – America’s democracy and democratic ideals through the words and portrayals of Presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

· Anniversary Village engaged visitors in a glimpse of the diverse destinations and attractions of Virginia through exhibits and interactive displays representing every region in the state.Special exhibits provided a look at the new Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, which traces the Chesapeake Bay region voyages of that Jamestown explorer, and gave guests a chance to talk with several authors who had written books about John Smith and Jamestown for National Geographic. Modern-day travelers could visit Legacy Sponsor AirTran Airways’ display for a chance to win airline tickets to explore America.

Genealogy was in the spotlight at Anniversary Village in two interactive exhibits. Visitors could start tracing their own past by participating in free genealogy computer labs and family history workshops presented by the staff of Ancestry.com, which also gave away certificates for free 30-day access to its online services. At the Kent County/East England exhibit, guests could input their surnames into a special computer program to trace the British geography and history of their family name, including how many people share their name in the UK.

· Heritage Village celebrated the cultural, musical, arts and crafts traditions of America past and present. Visitors could observe the artisanship of Virginia potters, basket weavers, spinners, weavers, and Virginia Indian flute makers, sculptors, and clothiers at in the Crafting a Nation pavilion. The art and tradition of glass making that began at Jamestown was seen to be alive and flourishing in the works of the Hot Glass Road Show brought to Anniversary Park by New York’s renowned Corning Museum of Glass. Heritage Stage performances highlighted the cultural roots and diverse sounds of America’s music, from Indian drums and flutes to African and Caribbean rhythms to American folk songs and country music. American Indian and African American food vendors helped satisfy cultural food tastes; visitors could also take home a taste of the Old Dominion with the specialty foods available for sale at the Virginia’s Finest exhibit. The Anheuser-Bush exhibit featured two traditional American icons – a magnificent Budweiser Clydesdale and majestic American bald eagle -- for visitor photographs.

· Exploration Village held special appeal for families with children, with a range of interactive and educational exhibits and youth-oriented entertainment on its stage. The Jamestown Experience exhibit provided a glimpse into life during the 1607 voyage to Jamestown and at James Fort. Early journeys of exploration were also the focus of the Voyage to the New World, a virtual sail simulation featuring film, sound, narration and motion; and the Deltaville shallop, a replica of the vessel used by John Smith to explore the Chesapeake Bay that was on display. NASA’s highly interactive exhibit compared early 17th-century voyages to today’s space missions, and a glimpse into settling extreme environments, whether in “the new world” of North America in the 1600s or strategies for living on the moon and Mars in the 21^st century. Verizon offered tech-savvy families the chance to play games and contests while providing a look at the history and future of telecommunications.

Anniversary Park’s Festival Village housed the main Anniversary Stage and seating area, the site for many of the weekend’s commemorative ceremonies, presentations and concerts, as well as a wide array of food and beverage concessions for guests.