So with the endorsement of the Chamber of Commerce, in 1980 Sparky Harper invited fifty travel writers from all newspapers all across North America to come to Miami during Orange Bowl Week and sail the Friendship Cruise. Of course, 1980 was the year of the Liberty City Riots and the Mariel Boatlift, so only nine travel writers showed up, several of them carrying guns for protection.
In 1980, with the support of the Chamber of Commerce, Sparky Harper organized an event inviting fifty travel writers from across North America to Miami during Orange Bowl Week, to experience the Friendship Cruise. The goal was likely to promote tourism and showcase the city as an attractive destination.
However, the social unrest and crises of that year, including the Liberty City Riots and the Mariel Boatlift, drastically affected turnout. Only nine travel writers attended, some even armed for personal security, reflecting the tense and unstable environment during that period.
