The final countdown is on as Ford Motor Company prepares for the Thursday through Monday, June 12-16 THE ROAD IS OURS 100th Anniversary Celebration at the Henry Ford II World Center in Dearborn.
Workers are transforming Ford's 152-acre world headquarters site into a showplace with space for displaying thousands of classic Ford cars and trucks, a concert series with top artists, interactive displays and family entertainment that includes a ride through Ford's history in a Model T, monster truck shows and professional bull riding.
To prepare for the celebration, workers are putting up more than six miles of fence (as a safety precaution) around the property, erecting 129 tents that range in size from 10 x 10-foot to 100 x 300-foot, supplying 715 tons of air conditioning to the tents, building two 38 x 78-foot "100" walk-through gates, constructing a 112-foot-wide stage in the outdoor theatre, and arranging more than 375 shuttle buses and 800 portable restrooms.
"We're expecting up to 100,000 guests over the five days (June 12-16)," said Gary Nielsen, executive director, Centennial Operations. "We welcome everyone -- especially our extended Ford family of employees, retirees, dealers, suppliers and enthusiasts -- to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime milestone with us. It's an exciting and historic time at Ford."
Upon entering the property, visitors will be immersed into a sea of Ford Motor Company cars and trucks, with classic, current and future concepts on display.
Adults can test their skills at operating a flight simulator, or they challenge themselves by working with a team to build a Model T from scratch in less than 30 minutes. Kids will meet "Blue" from the Nickelodeon animated television show Blue's Clues and learn about traffic safety in Kids Safety Village. Professional bull riding and the Model T Journey through Ford's history will thrill people of all ages.
One of the highlights of the celebration is a weekend evening concert series Friday through Sunday, June 13-15, in an outdoor theatre with lawn seating for more than 40,000. On Friday, Earth, Wind & Fire will kick-off the series with The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and a spectacular fireworks display to follow. On Saturday Beyoncé Knowles, film star and lead singer of the multi-Grammy winning pop R&B group Destiny's Child, will perform with special guests in a concert titled, "Beyoncé Knowles, Friends and Family." Sunday's entertainment features country music with Blake Shelton and country music superstar Toby Keith.
Beyoncé Knowles' June 14 performance will be televised live on Pay-Per-View. This special television coverage harkens back to the company’s 50th anniversary celebration. On June 15, 1953, nearly 60 million people across America watched as Mary Martin spoofed women’s fashions and Ethel Merman performed a song and dance routine during Ford’s "50th Anniversary TV Show." It was billed as the greatest TV show in the history of that era, with the largest audience ever under a single sponsorship.
Tickets to THE ROAD IS OURS 100th Anniversary Celebration are available online through
www.celebrateford100.com or by calling 1-866-4-100-FORD (1-866-410-0367). Beginning Monday, June 2 and throughout the event, tickets can also be purchased at the Lifestyle Café at the Fairlane Town Center in Dearborn, Mich.
Tickets are $24.95 per person (children age 12 and under are admitted free when accompanying a paying adult). Tickets for Ford Motor Company employees, retirees, D Plan-eligible dealership personnel, and their extended families (as defined by A, D and Z Plan eligibility) are $19.95 per person.
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