By EVELYN CAIRNS
The roar of canon fire will accompany performances of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Wednesday through Saturday during the finales of the second annual Salute to America celebration concerts at Greenfield Village.
The performances, to be followed by fireworks, are scheduled for 8:30 p.m., but the fun will start when gates open at 6 p.m. for concertgoers with picnic baskets, blankets and lawn chairs staking out spots for the evening.
Food prepared by Greenfield Village chefs will be available for purchase, and games and other activities will be provided for children.
Welcoming the crowds with a parade will be the 1st Michigan Colonial Fife and Drum Corps. In addition, the United States Army Field Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. prelude concerts. The performances will take place in the Walnut Grove Historic District.
Leading the DSO musicians will be Bob Bernhardt, Louisville Orchestra principal pops conductor and concurrently principal pops conductor of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera.
The program will begin with the “Star-Spangled Banner” and continue with selections from “Oklahoma!” and include “Hymn to the Fallen,” from “Saving Private Ryan,” and Gershwin’s “A Foggy Day” and “My One and Only.”
The United States Army Field Band and the Soldiers’ Chorus will join the DSO during Jenkin’s “American Overture” and other selections.
Salute to America tickets are $24, adults, and $15, youths aged 5 through 12. Children 4 and younger are free. Parking is $5 per car. For tickets, go to The Henry Ford, 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn; call 313-982-6001; or go to www.thehenryford.org/salute.
Cherry fest opening set
Should you be headed to northern Michigan for the Fourth of July, you may want to celebrate the holiday at the Traverse City Cherry Festival, which opens on the Fourth with “The Great American Picnic,” featuring a multitude of food events. The festival will continue through July 12.
In addition to cherry specialties of local chefs and such fun contests as pie-eating and pit-spitting, the festival will feature parades, games, face painting, concerts, an air show by the Blue Angels, wine pairings and the signature event Blues, Brews and BBQ. For additional information, go to www.cherryfestival.org or call 231-947-4230.
Coming up . . .
July 1-13 — Musical, “The Book of Mormon,” winner of nine Tony Awards, at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway; tickets, $34 to $95, are available at all TicketMaster locations, by phone at 800-982-2787 and online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.broadwayindetroit.com; beginning 2 1/2 hours before each performance, theatergoers will have an opportunity to participate in lotteries for one or two tickets for the play at the reduced cost of $29 each; entry forms will be available at the box office; tickets for a special open-captioned performance are available at the Opera House and Fisher Theatre box offices and by phone at 313-872-1000, Ext. 0; for more information, go to www.broadwayindetroit.com or www.BookofMormontheMusical.com.
July 2 — Taylor Conservatory Foundation Music & Art in the Gardens concert featuring jazz drummer Sean Dobbins; 6:30 p.m. at the Taylor Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 22314 Northline; admission, $5 (lawn chairs are encouraged); for updates on weather and concert rainout locations, call 888-383-4408 or go to www.facebook.com/taylorconservatory.
July 9-12 — Wyandotte Street Art Fair, along Biddle Avenue between Eureka and Oak streets; 53rd annual event will feature approximately 300 artists and more than 28 food vendors; courtesy shuttles will be available from numerous parking lots.
July 10 — Play, “Ernie,” about the life of Ernie Harwell, the late Hall of Fame Detroit Tigers announcer; at the City Theatre, inside the Hockeytown Café (next to the Fox Theatre), 2301 Woodward Ave.; tickets, $20 and $25, are available by calling 800-745-3000.