Editing 1960 Winter Olympics (section)

=== Opening ceremonies ===
The chairman of the Pageantry Committee was [[Walt Disney]], who was responsible for producing both the [[Olympic Games ceremony|opening and closing ceremonies]] at Blyth Memorial Arena.<ref name=sroverview/> He organized an opening that included 5,000 entertainers, the release of 2,000 pigeons, and a military gun salute of eight shots, one for each of the previous Winter Olympic Games.{{sfn|Squaw Valley Organizing Committee|1960|pp=53–55}}<ref>{{cite book|title=Walt Disney:A Biography|last1=Krasniewicz|first1=Louise|last2=Blitz|first2=Michael|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|location=Santa Barbara, USA|year=2010|page=132|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lZ3vTgpHgFoC&q=1960%20winter%20olympics%20disney&pg=PA132|isbn=978-0-313-35830-2| access-date=August 17, 2011 <!--DASHBot-->}}</ref> The opening ceremonies were held on February 18, 1960, at Blyth Arena in the midst of a blizzard. The heavy snow fall caused traffic problems that delayed the ceremony by an hour. The festivities began with a sustained drum roll as the flags of each participating nation were raised on specially designed flag poles. Vice President [[Richard Nixon]] represented the United States government and declared the Games open.{{sfn|Squaw Valley Organizing Committee|1960|p=53}} The Olympic cauldron was lit by [[Ken Henry (speed skater)|Kenneth Henry]], Olympic champion of the 500 meter speed skating race at the [[1952 Winter Olympics]] in Oslo. The Olympic oath was taken by [[Carol Heiss]] on behalf of all the athletes. As the national delegations left the stadium fireworks concluded the ceremonies.{{sfn|Squaw Valley Organizing Committee|1960|p=55}}