By Balmina Sehra and Michael Roach
USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs
In defiance of record-breaking heat, the Stuttgart military community came together with host nation neighbors to celebrate an intersection of their cultures at America’s 250th Independence Day Celebration at Panzer Kaserne on June 27. Approximately 18,000 people attended the event, many to get a peek behind life at the gates of U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart.
While USAG Stuttgart installations are typically closed to the public, the garrison once again opened the gates and invited local nationals on post for the celebration, an annual tradition that is designed to strengthen ties with the local community.
This year saw a large turnout by local officials, notably Baden-Württemberg’s Minister-President Cem Özdemir, who attended the VIP reception hosted by USAG Stuttgart Garrison Commander Col. Edward J. Sanford.
“As we celebrate tonight in Stuttgart, we are reminded that America’s story is deeply connected to the friendships and alliances we have built around the world,” Sanford said during his evening address to the crowd.
This year’s event was a special milestone– the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The event not only spurred an international conflict, but from it – a new nation that celebrates the signing through the traditional Fourth of July holiday.
“They proclaimed that all people are created equal and endowed with certain unalienable rights–life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” Sanford said. “They challenged one of the most powerful empires in the world, not because victory was assured, but because freedom was worth the risk.”
A palette of red, white and blue adorned the celebration area on Panzer Kaserne, shimmering in sunlight that helped push temperatures into the high nineties.
The celebration featured rising country star Kashus Culpepper as the night’s headliner, children’s activities, an Elvis tribute band, youth and adult watermelon-eating contests, and a 17-minute fireworks finale but the oppressive heat also added a new challenge which event organizers met by adding misting tunnels and additional shade canopies throughout the area. Free water stations were made readily available to all those in attendance and emergency services were ever present.
New this year were water slides, two robotic beer stations, two ice cream stands, misting stations, interactive social media jumbo-trons, additional bands, and entertainment flown in direct from the United States.
“We had a great event and are so grateful to our German neighbors for showing up to celebrate the 250th anniversary,” said Stuttgart Family & MWR Acting Director Corrie Schwab.
A live DJ helped ramp up the celebration from afternoon to evening and a fleet of food trucks kept hungry visitors fed as they browsed the vehicle and sponsor exhibits that lined the event area. Games, activities, water slides and bounce houses were littered throughout the open installation to the delight of kids in attendance.
At the VIP reception, German and American counterparts from various levels of local and regional governments mixed with civilian and military leaders. Relationships were strengthened over pulled pork sandwiches, an American barbecue staple specialty fitting for the event.
“For over seven decades, the partnership between the United States and Germany has stood as a powerful example of what former adversaries can become when united by shared values, mutual respect, and a commitment to peace and security,” Sanford said. “We are grateful for the friendship of our German hosts, whose support and partnership make our mission possible and enrich the lives of our military families every day.”
