The day the Beatles came to America

Where were you on Feb. 7, 1964? Whether you're old enough to remember or weren't even born yet, come and re-live the day that John, Paul, George and Ringo arrived for their first visit to the United States. Attend "The Beatles Land in America!" Saturday at Seattle's Museum of Flight.

At 1:20 p.m., 40 years to the minute since the Beatles first arrived at New York's JFK Airport, be among fans (possibly screaming in welcome?) as the Beatles tribute band Rain disembarks from the recently retired British Airways Concorde outside the Museum of Flight. (Historical footnote: The Concorde was not yet flying in 1964, and the Beatles didn't actually visit Seattle until their August 1964 concert here.)

Upon "arrival," Rain will perform a concert replicating the Beatles' first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." KBSG radio (97.3 FM) will broadcast the 1964-style event live, and it's all free.

After the concert, the band members will adjourn to the museum for a mock news conference (museum admission required).

Next week, the museum hosts another special event — in honor of Black History Month. On Feb. 14, see a multimedia presentation by Tuskegee Airman Lee A. Archer, who should have been the only African-American ace of World War II. (Mysteriously, the military altered his record and denied him the honor.) He flew 169 combat missions and went on to a distinguished career in the Air Force and as a business and civic leader. A performance by the Garfield High School Jazz Ensemble starts the day's events from 1-1:45 p.m., followed by Archer's presentation from 2-5 p.m. Events are included with museum admission, $6.50-$11, at the Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle; 206-764-5720 or www.museumofflight.org.

— Madeline McKenzie, Seattle Times staff