Liberty Weekend

Secretary of the Interior Donald Hodel, Executive Producer David L. Wolper, and the Chairman of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation Lee Iacocca joined to introduce the President of the United States at the time, Ronald Reagan.

Finally, a fireworks display set to "The Stars and Stripes Forever" was enacted above the statue as well as the skyline of New York city.

It also featured musical performances from (in order) John Denver, Melissa Manchester, Clamma Dale with Simon Estes, Joel Grey, Whitney Houston, Johnny Cash, James Whitmore, and Barry Manilow.

Also in attendance were notables such as Steven Spielberg, Amy Irving, Robert Dole, NYC Mayor Ed Koch, NY State Governor Mario Cuomo, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kissinger, Itzhak Perlman, Cardinal O'Connor, Don King, Pierre Salinger, June Carter Cash, Alan Shepard, Diahann Carroll, and Coretta Scott King.

This was followed by an address by Reagan aboard USS John F. Kennedy, and a 30-minute fireworks display and concert, scored and conducted by Joe Raposo, the highlight of the night.

The winner received a two-foot-long airship trophy from James Hoge, Daily News publisher, and the $25,000 Citibank Charity Challenge Cup fund went to the Boys' Clubs of America.

That night, a joint concert by the New York Philharmonic and the US Marine Band was held in Central Park conducted by Zubin Mehta and Col. John Bourgeois, with special guests (in order) Plácido Domingo, Joseph Flummerfelt, Marilyn Horne, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Sherrill Milnes and Leona Mitchell.

The closing ceremonies featured a tribute to sports and pop culture, with the following performers and speakers (in order): Fabian Forte, Frankie Avalon, Buddy DeFranco, Charlton Heston, Waylon Jennings, Gene Kelly, Patti LaBelle, Gerry Mulligan, Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, The Pointer Sisters, Manhattan Transfer, The Golden Boys of Bandstand, Shirley MacLaine, and Liza Minnelli.

In his book Even This I Get To Experience, television personality Norman Lear stated that he was the one who produced the four-day special, which he described as "my parade" of "tall ships".