Inside the Tent Erected in the Rose Garden for State Dinner

In this photograph by Karl Schumacher taken on July 7, 1976, preparations are underway inside a tent erected for a State Dinner held in honor of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The State Dinner, which was held in the Rose Garden, followed a day of activities with President Gerald R. Ford, First Lady Betty Ford, Queen Elizabeth, and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, including a State Arrival Ceremony that morning. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the United States from July 6 to 11 in celebration of the American Bicentennial. The tent, which was temporary, included carpeted floors that were installed under the direction of Mrs. Ford, to protect shoes and ensure wet grass would not cause a slippery surface.