July 4, 1986 Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ

July 4, 1986: Operation Sail, Americana music concert, and fireworks

On the morning of July 4, 1986 the battleships and sailing ships of old took part in a naval revue down the Hudson River, including the largest flotilla of tall ships to assemble in modern history. Reagan viewed the ships from the USS Iowa (BB61). He described the ships as a personification of freedom and liberty:

Perhaps, indeed, these vessels embody our conception of liberty itself: to have before one no impediments, only open spaces; to chart one's own course and take the adventure of life as it comes; to be free as the wind – as free as the tall ships themselves. It's fitting, then, that this procession should take place in honor of Lady Liberty.

Participants in Operation Sail 1986 USCGC Eagle (USA) Ernestina (United States) Danmark (Denmark) HMS Sirius (UK) HMS Cleopatra (UK) HMS Ark Royal (UK) Christian Radich (Norway) Libertad (Argentina) Zenobe Gramme (Belgium) Bluenose II (Canada) Esmeralda (Chile) Gloria (Colombia) Guayas (Ecuador) Belem (France) Dewaruci (Indonesia) Galaxy (Israel) Amerigo Vespucci (Italy) Cuauhtémoc (Mexico) Sorlandet (Norway) Shabab Oman (Oman) Sagres (Portugal) Juan Sebastian de Elcano (Spain) Svanen of Stockholm (Sweden) Calida (Scotland) Capitan Miranda (Uruguay) Simón Bolívar (Venezuela) Elissa (United States) Gazela of Philadelphia (United States) SES Lotus (United States) RFA Resource (UK) "Hm Ms" Abraham Crijnssen (F816) The Netherlands

Later the Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by John Williams conducted a concert of classic American music at Liberty State Park in New Jersey (the closest landmass to Liberty Island itself). 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 Gov. Mario Cuomo, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kissinger, Itzhak Perlman, Cardinal O'Connor, Don King, Pierre Salinger, June Carter Cash, Alan Shepard, Dianne Carrol, and Coretta Scott King.

This was followed by an address by Reagan aboard the USS John F. Kennedy and a 30-minute fireworks display and concert, scored and conducted by Joe Raposo, the highlight of the night. It was the largest fireworks display in American history, and at the time the largest in the world. The display included 22,000 aerial fireworks, launched from 30 barges and other vantage points, in addition to 18,000 set pieces. It was co-produced by four family-owned fireworks firms, namely the Zambelli, Grucci, Santore and Sousa families.