[SkateDC] Sunset Parade at Iwo Jima Memorial Tuesday 8/11/09)

[George Marinkovich]

Speaking about the Marine Corps Barracks...

Every Friday night during the summer (from May 8, 2009 to August 28, 2009) there is a free performance at the Marine Corps Barracks (at 8th and I Streets SE):

"A 
                  one hour and fifteen minute performance of music and precision 
                  marching, the Evening Parade features "The President's Own" 
                  United States Marine Band, "The Commandant's Own" The United 
                  States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the Marine Corps Color Guard, 
                  the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, Ceremonial Marchers, 
                  and LCpl. Chesty XIII, the official mascot of Marine Barracks 
                  Washington."  -- http://www.mbw.usmc.mil/parade_eveningdefault.asp

Probably the most famous portion of which is the performance by the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon:

Evening Parade at 8th and I (the video is a little dark, it's easier to see in person):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxr0LFvb9qI

Evening Parade at a different venue, but the lighting is brighter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y90UPLLo6nY

Unfortunately, you need to reserve tickets three weeks in advance and at this point in the season all seats at remaining performances are filled.   That's the bad news.  If you are feeling lucky you can show up without tickets and "At 8:15 p.m., guests without reservations who 
                  are waiting outside the Main Gate of the Barracks are offered 
                  unclaimed seats." -- http://www.mbw.usmc.mil/parade_eveningdefault.asp

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT...

... this Tuesday (8/11/09) there will be a Sunset Parade performance at the Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington which doesn't require tickets:
http://www.mbw.usmc.mil/parade_sunsetdefault.asp

Video of Sunset Parade:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5_UO0WRBuc

This is basically the same performance as at the Barracks, but 15 minutes shorter.  I believe the Silent Drill is the same at both.

If anyone is interested, we could meet at the White House at 5:30pm on Tuesday and skate over to the Iwo Jima memorial to see the Sunset Parade, which begins at 6:30pm and lasts until 7:30, whereupon we could skate back to the White House, maybe going up Wisconsin Ave for ice cream afterward.   In any case it would be a relatively short and easy skate.   Please reply to me directly if you are interested in doing this.  If you just want to see the Sunset Parade this Tuesday, but don't want to skate there you can drive/metro instead (http://www.mbw.usmc.mil/parade_sunsetdefault.asp).

Enjoy,
George


--- On Sun, 8/9/09, Bill English <english60 at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Bill English <english60 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [SkateDC] After-Skate Report, Sunday Intermediate, Aug 9, 2009
To: "WAR Listserv" <skatedc at skatedc.org>
Date: Sunday, August 9, 2009, 9:48 PM

Skaters,

We had a good social skate today. We got back to the White House a few minutes too late to visit with the advanced group at 11:10. This was due to the frequent long breaks we enjoyed along the way. We found lots of nice shady spots with a breeze where we could sit and cool off. No use letting the heat & humidity beat us down. Best of all, we found 85 cent ice cream bars on sale at the Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion. I don't remember the snack stand being open during our previous visits to the Pavilion. I wondered if I should cut the regrouping stops a little shorter, but the skaters seemed to want to extend the breaks and do some talking. That is just the way things go on a relaxed early morning Sunday Skate.

Eight Participants: Bill, Carl, Shawn, George, Eryx, Jackeline, Renee, and Michelle.

Places we visited along the way: White House, Union Station, Eastern Market, Marine Corps Barracks, Capitols Ballpark, Frederick Douglass Bridge, Anacostia Park Skating Pavilion, John Phillip Sousa Bridge, Capitol, Constitution Avenue descent, and Navy Memorial. Since it was hot and humid we used a route lacking big hills except for Capitol Hill and the Douglass Bridge.

I got the idea to visit the Marine Corps Barracks last Wednesday when David led us past it. Rodney mentioned then that it would be an interesting place for skating. The Marines guarding the gate were friendly, but they made us wait a couple of minutes while they made sure it was okay to let us in. We did not get to skate beyond the reviewing stand area, but that was enough to see the historic highlights. There is a a web site for that at http://www.mbw.usmc.mil/ It is better to arrange for a barracks tour ahead of time, which you can do at the web site.

I took a few photos which I will put on facebook. You can search for me on facebook easily by entering my e-mail address, english60 at yahoo.com.

Bill


      
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