Memorial Day weekend will bring parades, ceremonies, festivals and family activities to communities across Suffolk County as residents gather to honor America’s fallen service members while unofficially welcoming the start of summer.
Veterans organizations, fire departments, marching bands and local officials are expected to take part in ceremonies from the East End to the South Shore throughout the holiday weekend. Memorial Day itself falls on Monday, May 25, this year.
Among the largest local events is the annual Center Moriches Memorial Day Parade, which is scheduled for Monday morning. The parade begins at 9 a.m. along Main Street and features local veterans groups, fire departments, marching bands, Scouts and community organizations before concluding with a memorial ceremony honoring fallen service members at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.
The Brookhaven Fire Department hosts a Monday parade starting at 9 a.m. at Bellport High School and marching through the village to Memorial Park in Brookhaven.
The Medford Fire Department’s parade kicks off on Tremont Avenue at 11 a.m., while the annual Longwood Memorial Day and Remembrance Ceremony will take place Monday at Bartlett Pond Park in Middle Island at 11 a.m.
The Smithtown area will also host multiple ceremonies and marches throughout the day. Smithtown’s main parade is scheduled for Monday beginning at noon. Kings Park, St. James and Commack will also hold events honoring veterans and active-duty military members.
The Town of Huntington will once again host several well-attended Memorial Day parades on Monday, including:
• Greenlawn Memorial Day Parade — 9 a.m.
• Elwood/Commack VFW Parade — 10 a.m.
• Centerport Memorial Day Parade — 10 a.m.
• Huntington Village Memorial Day Parade — late morning ceremonies and parade activities
The Huntington events traditionally include color guards, veterans groups, local schools, marching bands and memorial ceremonies at monuments throughout town.
In Lindenhurst, Memorial Day activities will begin at 10 a.m. with cemetery and Fireman’s Park ceremonies, followed by the village parade stepping off at 11 a.m. A memorial ceremony at Village Hall is scheduled for noon.
Across Suffolk County, many local American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts will conduct smaller hometown ceremonies throughout the morning and afternoon hours Monday, including a memorial event sponsored by the Mastic Fire Department. A wreath placement will take place at Calverton National Cemetery on Saturday.
Beyond the parades, Memorial Day weekend also marks the unofficial beginning of Long Island’s busy summer tourism season.
Families are expected to head to Fire Island ferries, South Shore beaches, waterfront restaurants and downtown shopping districts in Patchogue, Bay Shore, Babylon and Port Jefferson.
Outdoor festivals, farmers markets and live music events are also planned throughout the weekend, while many Suffolk County parks and marinas are preparing for one of their busiest weekends of the year.
For families looking for additional activities, Splish Splash Water Park in Riverhead has reopened for the season, while numerous East End wineries and farm stands are expected to draw large crowds over the three-day weekend.
Officials are reminding residents that Memorial Day remains first and foremost a solemn day of remembrance for the men and women who gave their lives in military service to the United States.