US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Erika Olson sporting her cowboy hat to speak at the Fourth of July reception. Photo: Chris Johnson.
One thing Americans know how to do is throw a good party, especially if it’s to celebrate their Independence Day.
And it doesn’t matter if that party is actually 25 days later than the 4th of July.
That was the US Embassy’s attitude on Tuesday night (29 July) when it staged the coolest Independence Day Fourth of July Reception at its swanky Yarralumla premises and lush grounds.
With the theme of a good ol’ country fair, there were cowboy hats galore, tractors, hay bales, fireworks, barbecued beef, a mechanical bull, and the best in American beer, wine and whisky.
And there were both kinds of music – country and western – from the contagiously entertaining Tyla Rodrigues and her slapping band.
It was a boot scooter’s delight.
The embassy deliberately held back its Fourth of July party until the 48th Federal Parliament was in session to ensure there’d be plenty of Aussie MPs and senators dropping in to pay their respects and join the festivities.
The guest of honour was Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who offered a short speech about the strength of the Australian-US alliance (even in these weird tariffy times).
He was regretting not getting his cowboy on, though, before whipping over to the embassy from Parliament House.
“Clearly, I have come dressed in the wrong uniform, thinking I’m coming to a diplomatic event on a parliamentary sitting evening only to find I am here on the set of Yellowstone,” Mr Marles said.
“So, I apologise.”
Laughter all round.
The Deputy PM then went on to recite the first few lines of the United States Declaration of Independence (”We hold these truths to be self-evident”, etc).
“America is almost uniquely founded on an idea,” he said.
The embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires Erika Olson spoke of the great pioneering spirit that built the US and how it is something her nation shares with Australia.
“That frontier spirit not only characterises and links Americans to one another but it also links Americans to Australians,” she said.
“The collective experience of our hardworking and fiercely individualistic ancestors hued both nations – from prairie, bush, fjord and mountains.
“Risk-takers and innovators who are not scared to take chances, embrace the unknown and ask why not.”
She then climbed on a John Deere tractor when asked to by photographers – just to demonstrate that that risk-taking attitude is still alive and well.
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
