By By CHRIST PROKOS
Staff Writer
Visitors and residents who are accustomed to seeing geese, ducks and doves in Festival Park on the Washington waterfront should not be surprised when the Eagles land there Friday night.
As part of the ongoing Movies in the Park series, the Washington Harbor District Alliance will present “Eagles Farewell 1 Tour” at dusk Friday on the big screen behind Pirates Pub &Grill. The movie, filmed in Melbourne, Australia, in 2004, was released on DVD in 2005. It features some of the band’s biggest hits of the past four decades performed by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Prior to the movie, the band Diggin’ Deep from Chocowinity will entertain the audience with classic and modern rock ’n’ roll.
Mac Hodges, the WHDA board member who oversees promotions, has been pleased with the turnout for the movies this year. Friday’s movie will be the fourth in a series of six.
“We got about 350 people when we did ‘The Blind Side,’” Hodges said. “For ‘Field of Dreams,’ we had about 150 people for that. I think it’s going pretty well. I was real pleased with ‘The Blind Side’ and more people showed up for ‘Field of Dreams’ than I thought. I’m hoping it will rev back up for this Eagles concert.”
After a Sept. 17 showing of the computer-animated film “A Bug’s Life,” the monthly Movies in the Park series will culminate Oct. 22 with “We Are Marshall.” That movie will be part of a busy weekend in Washington with Music in the Streets, Smoke on the Water and the East Carolina-Marshall football game in Greenville. That game is ECU’s homecoming game this year.
“Hopefully, we can get 200 to 300 people,” Hodges said. “We are trying to see if we can get the Marshall fans to come stay in Washington.”
There is no admission charge for Movies in the Park, and individuals are encouraged to bring folding chairs or blankets. Glass containers are prohibited.