Opening Ceremonies
After Squaw Valley's opening ceremony, many writers called it "The Miracle of Squaw Valley." They were referring to the miraculous break in the weather which occurred when the sun came out in the midst of a raging Sierra Nevada blizzard.
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Walt Disney Responsible
The Organizing Committee's Pageantry Chairman Walt Disney was responsible for staging the opening ceremony. Under his direction, it was presented on a scale appropriate to the grandeur of Squaw Valley's mountain setting. Sequence of the opening ceremony was as follows:
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Flag Raising.[…]
Parade.[…]
Official Welcome and Opening Proclamation.[…]
Olympic Flag Raising.[…]
Flag Presentations and Doves of Peace.[…]
Olympic Flame.[…]
The Olympic Prayer[…]
Olympic Oath.[…]
Exit of the Nations.[…]
Credits and Participants
The Pageantry Committee was composed of Walt Disney, chairman; Terrell Drinkwater, vice chairman; Art Linkletter, vice chairman; Bill Henry, ceremonies; William Nicholas, Joe McEveety, and Bill Ackerman, torch relay; Charles A. Hirt, music coordinator; John Harris, special entertainment; Tommy Walker, pageantry director; Ron Miller, pageantry coordinator; John Hench, art director; and Card Walker, publicity. Assisting Tommy Walker were Charles Corson, assistant director; Richard Nunis, special effects; and Harold W. Lindsay, sound engineer.
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Olympic Hymn
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Closing Ceremonies
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Victory Ceremonies
The daily Victory Ceremonies at Squaw Valley were staged at the Tribune of Honor adjacent to the speed skating oval. Forming an impressive background for these ceremonies was the 80-foot Tower of Nations featuring the crests of all participating nations. The tower was flanked by a male and a female statue of gigantic proportions. In the immediate background were the snow-covered mountainsides and the Olympic Jumping Hills.
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Flagpoles
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Snow Sculptures
Pageantry Chairman Walt Disney conceived the idea of snow sculptures to help decorate the Olympic site and give the athletes and spectators from all over the world a special welcome. John Hench of the committee designed the sculptures, which were made of welded wire mesh, papier mache and weather-resistant white cacooning. They were also designed to withstand winds up to 100 miles an hour. The sculptures were first sketched, followed by clay models, and finally the sculptures.
Twenty communities in California and Nevada each paid $2,000 for one sculpture; then a plaque was added to the sculpture, indicating the specific community was welcoming the athletes and spectators to Squaw Valley. There were 30 snow sculptures depicting cross-country skiers, ski jumpers, Alpine skiers, figure skaters, speed-skaters and hockey players. They were located along the Avenue of the Athletes, which was the street in front of the Blyth Memorial Arena.
