Thank you! We were there! The concert was at the Hatch Shell on the banks of the Charles River in Boston. The crowd was said to be half a million people. We sat in front of the CBS trailer, with a sea of people in front of and behind us.
The 1812 Overture featured real cannons and the actual church bells of the city of Boston. The ovation at the end was thunderous, causing Fiedler to turn around and smile. It’s on the video just after the 17 minute point. Things only got better with The Stars and Stripes Forever. The crowd was on its feet throughout, jumping and celebrating. I remember someone waving a huge flag back and forth. Then...the fireworks! Like the best finale you’ve ever seen—it went on for a good half hour. Just amazing.
Walter Cronkite showed the highlights of that event on July 4 for many years after.
I was in the armada of private vessels that helped make OpSail 76 in NYC the success it was. Though I did not get to see the many celebrations that were broadcast from around the nation, every time a get to see a clip from one of those events I get the chills and my monitor gets blurry.
Thank you so much for sharing your memories of this event
it makes what has been posted even more special.
It’s a rare group we are.
I must apologize for the location as yt did not say it
was the Esplanade ... I had to assume.
Free Hatch Shell Events
You may already be familiar with the biggest free Hatch Shell event - the spectacular Boston Pops Independence Day Concert followed by fireworks held every year on July 4th.
But you may not know about all other free concerts ranging from pop to classical, family-friendly movies, shows, festivals, and celebrations on Boston’s most unique outdoor performance stage on the Esplanade overlooking the Charles River.
If you’re visiting Boston between April and October when most Hatch Shell events take place, you’ll find interesting activities scheduled every weekend and also on week nights. ...
https://www.boston-discovery-guide.com/hatch-shell.html