RICHMOND, Calif., April 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, May 25, Craneway Pavilion—the historic world-class, and sustainably designed venue at Ford Point in Richmond, CA— is proud to announce "Rosie's Big Bash," the first in a series of upcoming events from Craneway to honor and celebrate the opening of The National Parks Service "Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front NHP Visitor Education Center" as part of "Rosie Week 2012."

The celebration will harken back to the "Rosie" era when women stepped up to do their part for the WWII war effort.  VIP Attendees will start the night off with a 5pm cocktail party followed by a gourmet dinner created by onsite Executive Chef Paul Despotakis.  These patrons will also have a sneak peek tour of the Rosie the Riveter Visitor Center and Museum. At 7pm general admission, students, veterans and active military ticket holders are invited to join in the night's festivities which include swing dance lessons and a concert with swing kings Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - www.bbvd.com. VIP tickets are priced at $250 and general admission is $35.  Students, veterans and active military personnel can purchase tickets for $19.42 in honor of the year the Rosies became a crucial part of WWII.

"This year marks the 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor and the birth of Rosie the Riveter," Eddie Orton of Orton Development commented. "We are so proud that the final phase of development and the visitor center are complete.  As part of Rosie's Big Bash, VIP attendees will have the honor of getting the first sneak preview of the brand new Rosie the Riveter Visitor Center and Museum, set to open the following day, May 26."

The Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front NHP Visitor Education Center - an interactive museum - is located in the former oil house of the Richmond Ford Assembly Building complex, immediately across from the Boilerhouse Restaurant.  This fortuitous arrangement was made possible by Orton Development Inc., the owners and operators of the adjacent Craneway Pavilion.

Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park was created in 2000 to preserve and interpret the stories and sites of our nation's home front response to World War II. During World War II, Rosie the Riveter emerged as an iconic cultural symbol of American women across the country rolling up their sleeves to support the war effort. Many of these pioneering "Rosies" toiled in the historic Ford Assembly Building, site of the new center (as well as the world-class event and production facility Craneway Pavilion).  They built 49,000 jeeps, and outfitted tanks, in a re-tooled industrial plant that first opened in 1931 to make Model "A" Fords.  Rosie the Riveter has since become a symbol representing the strength and determination of women everywhere striving for equality in all walks of life.

More "Rosie Week" events will be announced in April.

For tickets:http://craneway.inticketing.com/events/199294

The Craneway Pavilion

Owned and operated by Orton Development since 2004, Craneway Pavilion is a world-class and sustainably designed event, concert and production facility centrally located in one of the planet's most iconic destinations. Located on 25 waterfront acres, Craneway Pavilion offers an expansive 45,000 square feet facility in an architecturally significant building dating back to 1931.  It is part of the historic 525,000-square-foot Ford Assembly Building, also home to Boilerhouse Restaurant.  The building was originally designed by legendary 20th century industrial architect Albert Kahn, and opened in 1932 as Ford Motor's Model 'A' production plant.  In the 1940s, it became a hub of WWII home front efforts when it was retooled to produce tanks and jeeps.  During that time, the legend of Rosie the Riveter was born, and now the building is adjacent to the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park.

For more information:
http://www.craneway.com
http://www.nps.gov/rori

SOURCE Orton Development