2003 Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Inaugural Facts Harrisburg, PA

Transcription

1 News advisory Contact: William Epstein Sunday January 19, 2003 (717) Lisette Bralow (215) Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Inaugural Facts Harrisburg, PA Two-day Schedule Tuesday, January 21 10:30 am Lt. Governor-elect Catherine Baker Knoll takes oath of office Senate Chambers, State Capitol Governor-elect Rendell will be present 11:30 am Gubernatorial Inaugural Ceremony begins East Side of the State Capitol (Governor-elect Ed Rendell takes oath of office at 12 noon) 12:45 pm Inaugural Parade steps off 5 th and Walnut Sts. Governor Rendell will join the head of the parade enroute 1:30 pm Inaugural Parade reaches reviewing stand Commonwealth Av., East Side of the State Capitol Estimated time for end of parade: 4 pm 6 pm Fireworks (from north side of City Island) 7 pm Gala Concert begins State Farm Show Complex, 2301 N. Cameron St. 9 pm Inaugural Ball begins State Farm Show Complex, 2301 N. Cameron St. Wednesday, January am Open House, Governor s Residence 2035 N. Front St. (MORE)

2 facts/lst add Key Contact Information: Bill Epstein, Director of Communications, Rendell Inaugural Committee (o) (cell) Lisette Bralow, Deputy Dir. of Communications, Rendell Inaugural Committee (o) (cell) David Hunter, Director of Media Logistics and Operations for Inauguration (o) (cell) Note to media: Specifications on satellite feeds, media facilities and electronic availability of program content, program order and digital photographs are contained in separate documents. Contact the Inaugural Communications Office or visit the Press Room button at Important: Every Gubernatorial Inaugural event requires a pass or ticket, with two exceptions: At the Inaugural ceremony, a limited amount of standing room is available for the public. No pass is required for the standing room. A Jumbotron (11- -by-14 feet screen) will be in place behind the bleachers on the North Drive side of Soldiers Grove for the viewing convenience of attendees in the standing room area. The public can view the Inaugural Parade along the three stretches of its route around the State Capitol grounds: -- Walnut St. from 5 th to N. 2 nd St.; -- N. 3 rd St. from Walnut St. to North St.; and, -- North St. from N. 3 rd St. to Commonwealth Av. With the exception of standing room at the Inaugural Ceremony and viewing along the route of the Inaugural Parade, all events are fully subscribed. No additional tickets are available. Important note to editors: Media credentials issued by the Rendell Inaugural Committtee are required for admittance by media to all events. For information, contact Bill Epstein or Lissette Bralow in the Inaugural Communications Office,

3 facts/2 nd add Gubernatorial Inaugural Ceremony The program for the Inaugural ceremony, starting at 11:30 am: Prelude Introduction Fanfare Introduction Invocation National Anthem Reading Presentation Oath of Office Governor s Address Benediction Finale Keystone State Boychoir Hon. Matthew J. Ryan Speaker, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Valley Forge Military Academy and College Herald Trumpets Hon. Robert C. Jubelirer, President Pro Tempore, Pennsylvania Senate Bishop Zedekiah L. Grady First Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church Timmy Kelly Philadelphia Reverend James S. Hall Triumph Baptist Church Philadelphia Hon. Ralph Cappy Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Hon. Marjorie O. Rendell Hon. Edward G. Rendell Rabbi Solomon Isaacson Congregation Beth Solomon Philadelphia Keystone State Boychoir Note to media: Inaugural credentialed media will have access to the Commonwealth Media Center, 1 East Wing, during the Inaugural Ceremony and the Inaugural Parade. See Inaugural Communications staff on site for directions. Facts about the Inaugural Ceremony Bleacher seating for 4,000 ticketed persons Capacity is filled, except for limited standing room open to the public; passes or tickets are not required for standing room An 11-by-14-feet Jumbotron will be available for the viewing convenience of persons in standing room areas The Bible to be used by Gov.-elect Rendell and Judge Rendell will be held by their son, Jesse, 22. The bible was given to Judge Rendell by her grandfather, Otto W. Osterlund. Judge Rendell used the bible for both of her judicial swearing-in ceremonies, and she and Gov.-elect Rendell used it when she swore him in for his second term as Mayor of Philadelphia in

4 facts/3 rd add Judge Rendell s grandfather emigrated from Sweden in the early 1900 s and later owned two pharmacies in Philadelphia. He went on to become President of the former Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia) and President of the Belmont Trust Company, predecessor of the former First Pennsylvania Bank. In 1914 he was appointed to the Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy, where he served as Treasurer and was reappointed by three successive governors. Judge Rendell is a judge on the U.S. District Court of Appeals, Third Circuit Tim Kelly, 9, is a resident of the Bustleton section of Philadelphia (Northeast Philadelphia) who has been taking voice lesions since May of He is blind, and is a third-grade student at the Anne Frank Elementary School. Inaugural Parade The Rendell Inaugural Committee asked the county commissioners in each of the Commonwealth s 67 counties and mayors across the state to recommend which organizations and individuals should represent their counties in the Inaugural Parade. More than 5,500 people representing every one of Pennsylvania s 67 counties will march in the parade. Thirty marching bands will participate, along with the Fralinger String Band, winner of the first place prized in this year s Philadelphia New Year s Day Mummers Parade, and the Ferko String Band, winner of the captain s first place aware in this year s annual strut. The Inaugural Parade will step off from 5 th and Walnut Sts. at 12:45 pm. Governor Rendell and Judge Rendell will join the head of the parade enroute. As the parade reaches the reviewing stand on Commonwealth Ave., the Governor and Judge Rendell will return to the podium/reviewing stand to review the parade. The parade will march west on Walnut Street to N. 3 rd St.; north on N. 3 rd St. to North St., east on North St. to Commonwealth Av., and South on Commonwealth Av. past the reviewing stand to its original step-off point, 5 th and Walnut, where it will disperse. Note to media: See supplemental enclosed document on the Inaugural Parade for the order of march. It also is available at

5 facts/4 th add Inaugural Gala Concert The Gala Concert will begin at 7 pm at the State Farm Show Complex, in one of the two facilities completed just last month at the historic property. More than 5,500 persons will fill the new Equine Arena, which has been converted to a concert hall and a gala showplace. Taking the stage will be David Brenner, Chuck Berry, Sister Sledge, Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Phil Driscoll and Dee Dee Sharp, Jerry Blavat and the award-winning 100-strong Joy Unlimited Youth Mass Choir. Joining the all-star cast will be the evening s musical director, Grammy award-winning songwriter and producer David Foster. His songs for Chicago topped the charts repeatedly, and his 1993 hit I Will Always Love You, sung by Whitney Houston, topped the charts for 14 weeks. Foster will feature two acts he is producing singers Nita Whitaker and Michael Bublé. Inaugural Ball At the conclusion of the Gala Concert, the celebration will shift to the new 175,000-square-foot Exhibition Hall. There, starting at 9 pm, a total of 9,500 people will enjoy a Taste of Pennsylvania a multi-faceted buffet that will be served throughout the entire facility. They will be entertained by Sha Na Na, the City Rhythm Orchestra and the CTO Band, and will try out a dance floor built specially for the Inaugural Ball. Governor Rendell will make comments during the Inaugural Ball. Note to media: A press riser with mults will be available in the Exhibition Hall. Contact the Communications Office for details. More than 70 Pennsylvania restaurant owners and food and beverage producers have donated their time, talent and food and beverage products for the Taste of Pennsylvania. What it means to serve 9,500 at the Inaugural Ball: A 650-person catering and restaurant staff 2,220 pounds of beef 2,000 pounds of shrimp 2,000 pounds of chicken 1,500 pounds of turkey breasts

6 facts/5 th add 1,200 pounds of steak for steak sandwiches Enough cold cuts and rolls to make two miles of hoagies 7,000 cookies Open House at the Governor s Residence On Wednesday, January 22 nd, the Governor and Judge Rendell will host an open house at the Governor s Residence. More than 3,000 passes have been issued for the public to greet the Rendells and to walk through the downstairs of the home. The open house is fully subscribed, with timed tickets distributed to the public for entrance starting at 11 am. Parking at the Governor s Residence is severely limited. To avoid long lines at security metal detectors at the Residence, the Rendell Inaugural Committee has urged visitors to park at the State Farm Show Complex where they can complete the security process and ride complimentary shuttle buses that will run to and from the Open House. See supplemental enclosed document on the Governor s Residence. ###