Annapolis Hosts 'Hope and Remembrance' Memorial Concert

ANNAPOLIS, MD -- The City of Annapolis is teaming up with Maryland Hall and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis to host a memorial concert on Freedom of the Press Day to honor the five Capital Gazette employees who were killed at the newspaper office. The concert will be held Friday, June 28, at 7 p.m. at Maryland Hall.

The "Hope and Remembrance" community gathering and concert will feature performances by Eastport Oyster Boys, Gary Wright and Leah Weiss, and the First Christian Church of Annapolis gospel choir. Guest speakers will include Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, State Senator Sarah Elfreth, Delegate Alice Cain, Ryan Sirmons of Anne Arundel Connecting Together (ACT), Capital Gazette Editor Rick Hutzell and Mayor Gavin Buckley.

Annapolis Poet Laureate Temple Cone will read an original poem and the Annapolis’ Filmsters Academy will show a video slide presentation. Special guest John Tecklenburg, mayor of Charleston, N.C., will present “Amazing Grace.” Family, friends and colleagues also will share their favorite memories of the victims.

“A year ago, when Rebecca Smith, Wendi Winters, Rob Hiaasen, Gerald Fischman and John McNamara were taken, we vowed to honor their memory,” Buckley said in a statement. “We want to recognize our community newspaper and show the pride our city has in local journalism.”

At the conclusion of the program, a candlelight illumination in the Maryland Hall Labyrinth will be held. Tickets to the event are free, but reservations are recommended. Visit https://marylandhall.org/hope-remembrance-annual-community-gathering for tickets.