Celebrate Pensacola, Inc. is a non-profit organization that is organizing a festival commemorating the 450th anniversary of Don Tristan de Luna's 1559 expedition that established Pensacola as the first European settlement in the United States. The celebration will run for a total of for 450 days, from May 23, 2008 to August 15, 2009. Among other events, the organizers have stated the possibility of a visit by the Spanish Royal Family.
| Celebrate Pensacola | |
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| Established | November 17, 2006[1] |
| Executive co-chairs | Coy Irvin, Jr. Maria Davis |
| Website | CelebratePensacola.com |
The organization will come together again in 2014 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Naval aviation in Pensacola.
Contents
Events
- May 23, 2008: Kick-off party
- July 10, 2008: Evenings in Olde Seville concert with Spanish orchestra
- March 20, 2009: A Night of One Voice
- April 4, 2009: Spanish Wine Festival
- July 10, 2009: Spanish Band
- TBA: Visit of tall ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano
- TBA: Heritage Festival
- TBA: Lecture series and archaeological digs
- TBA: Historical reenactments and plays
- TBA: Proposed visit by Spanish royalty
- August 15, 2009: De Luna Landing Celebration
Plaza de Luna statue
Among the initiatives planned by Celebrate Pensacola was a proposed statue of Tristan de Luna to be erected in the City's recently finished Plaza de Luna park at the southern terminus of Palafox Street. The statue would feature a 9-foot sculpture of de Luna atop a 44-foot pedestal. (The idea had first been proposed by the Fiesta of Five Flags organization in 2002.[2]) Event planners initially hoped the City of Pensacola would contribute $150,000 of the $700,000 cost, but the City Council demurred by a 5-4 vote, citing budget restraints.[3]
Leadership
Executive committee
- Dr. Coy Irvin, Jr., Co-Chair
- Maria Davis, Co-Chair
- Miller Caldwell, Jr., Vice Chairman
- Alan Nickelsen, Treasurer
- Richard Brosnaham
- Oliver Darden
- Kevin Doyle
- Maj Gen Al Gilley, USA (Ret.)
- Nancy Halford
- Kim Kimbrough
- Laura Lee
- Jack Nobles
- Zoya Webster Phillips
- George Scarborough
- Brian Spencer
- George Touart
- Dr. Steve Zieman
Education Committee
- Richard Brosnaham, Chairman
- Lois Anderson
- John Appleyard
- Dr. Judy Bense
- James Currie
- Lisa Domek
- Dr. Gael Frazier
- Mamie Hixon
- Dr. Elmer Jenkins
- Sandra Johnson Jordan
- Dr. Angela McCorvey
- Dr. Janet K. Pilcher
- Robin Woods Reshard
- Dee Dee Ritchie
- Ann Roycroft
- Dr. Brian Rucker
- Rosita Watson
- Leroy Williams
- Dr. Marion Williams
- Dr. John Worth
- VADM Tim Wright, USN Ret.
- Clark Youngblood
Fundraising Committee
Heritage Committee
- Zoya Phillips, Chairman
- Rhette Anderson, Co-Chairman
- Mary Abernathy
- Julia Arnold
- Chief Bobby Johns Bearheart
- Laurel Boyd
- Robert de Varona
- Deborah Dunlap
- Betty Ellis
- Dr. Lornetta Epps
- Walter Lambert
- Martin Lewis
- Grace McCaffery
- Dr. Patrick Moore
- Jeanne Prange
- Lucy Rentz
- Doris Ross
- Juanita Scott
- Georgia Smith
- Ora Wills
Marketing Committee
Military Committee
- Maj Gen Al Gilley, USA, (Ret.), Co-Chair
- CAPT John Pruitt, USN (Ret.), Co-Chair
- Miller Caldwell, Jr.
- Shirley Cronley
- BGen Michael L. Ferguson, USA, (Ret.)
- Nancy Halford
- Ellis Hodges
- CAPT Lee Little, USN (Ret.)
- Sheilah Bowman
- MAJ Lawrence Powell (Ret.)
- CAPT Bob Rasmussen, USN (Ret.)
- Col James E. Smith USMC (Ret.)
- Joan Engel
- Claude F. Rivers
- Harry C. White
- VADM Tim Wright, USN (Ret.)
New Events Committee
Religious History Committee
- Dr. Steve Zieman, Chairman
- Rev. Frank Beall
- Alan Bookman
- Rev. A. L. Durant
- Wesley Odom
- Dr. Mike Papadelias
- Msgr. Mike Reed
- Bishop John H. Ricard
- Dr. Henry Roberts
- Dr. Wesley Wachob
- Paul Young
Special Projects Committee
- Brian Spencer, Co-Chair
- Jack Nobles, Co-Chair
- Richard Brosnaham
- Miller Caldwell, Jr.
- Dr. Coy Irvin, Jr.
VIP Committee
- Nancy Halford, Chairman
- Maria Davis, Chairman Emeritus
- Tom Bonfield
- Donna Fassett
- Nancy Fetterman
- Sharon Bourges-Jones
- Susan Schmidt
- Jerome Watson
- Patricia Windham
- Marie Young
Other images
Mayor John Fogg and Celebrate Pensacola co-chair Maria Davis announce the visit of Spanish King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia to Pensacola
See also
External links
References
- ↑ SunBiz.org entry
- ↑ "De Luna statue proposed for Bayfront park." Pensacola News Journal, March 11, 2002.
- ↑ Mark O'Brien. "Fortunately, some council members stand tall against bad statue idea." Pensacola News Journal, November 16, 2007.