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Orlando International Airport Hosts Liberty Weekend’s America250 Celebration
Photo provided by Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
For more than 25 years, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority has marked the nation’s birthday with Liberty Weekend, a tradition built around patriotic music, public gathering, and the Orlando International Airport’s connection to Central Florida. Over the years, that celebration has included the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, bringing the concert experience into one of the region’s busiest public spaces.
This year, the Orlando Phil, led by Conductor Christopher Confessore, will perform a “Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary” program, featuring patriotic selections and American classics, including pieces written by Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, and John Philip Sousa. Featured vocalist Brandon Martin and featured national anthem singer Lilyanne “Pearl” Tindell, a youth performer with Opera Orlando will perform solos.
102-year-old Chief Master Sgt. Receives Kittinger Award
Additionally, Liberty Weekend includes the presentation of the Col. Joe Kittinger Award, named after the local military servicemember and aviation hero whose record-breaking parachute jump stood for decades. The award, which was initiated in 2013, recognizes “a deserving veteran for contributions to aviation and the Central Florida Community,” tying the celebration of Independence Day to Orlando’s military and aviation history.
This year’s honoree is 102-year-old Chief Master Sgt. Melvin “Mel” Jenner, whose story is directly connected to the airport’s history. Jenner’s final assignment was at McCoy Air Force Base, the former military installation that later became the site of Orlando International Airport and is the source of the “MCO” airport code. Jenner’s personal connection to GOAA has continued into a new generation, as one of his grandsons now serves on the airport’s Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting team.
GOAA Thanks the Community with Free Liberty Weekend Event
For GOAA, “the event reflects the authority’s broader relationship with the region, with community standing as one of its foundational pillars alongside customer experience, infrastructure, and people.” Through Liberty Weekend, GOAA also sees an opportunity to say “thank you” to passengers and the flying public.
The Liberty Weekend Concert takes place Saturday, June 27, from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., on Level 2 of Terminal C at Orlando International Airport. The program is free, and attendees receive three hours of complimentary parking.
A prelude choral performance from Central Florida Community Arts kicks off the event, followed by the presentation of the Col. Joe Kittinger Award at 6:45 p.m. The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance begins at 7 p.m.
Tradition and Gratitude Guide GOAA’s Celebrations
Additionally, GOAA promises to extend the anniversary celebration beyond the concert. Visitors will see the America250 theme throughout the airport experience, from décor and landscaping to the guest experience throughout the terminal.
Liberty Weekend maintains its original purpose of carrying on tradition and, as the airport authority describes it, offering a gesture of “unending gratitude” for the sacrifices made by the military. At MCO, where a former military base has become one of the country’s major travel gateways, that gratitude is expressed through music, memory, and serving the travelers moving through the airport each day.
Mike Synan
News | Sports | Politics
- After two decades in news and politics, Mike Synan is returning to his roots to write Sports as “The Sportsaholic”. Mike hosted a talk show for 6 years on WDBO after Magic home games called “Magic Til Midnight”, and spent years working as an in-game correspondent for both ESPN and Fox Sports Radio. His column “Synan Says” has appeared on both www.wdbo.com and www.floridadaily.com. He has a BS in Political Science from Clemson University. You can reach him at msynan@sportsmail.com
