Roundup: Memorial Day Events in North Carolina

Memorial Day honors the sacrifices of those who have served in our military. There are many events held every Memorial Day weekend, and we’re rounding up those happening in North Carolina to make it easier for you to find the events being held on Monday, May 25th, in your town.

• Celebrate Memorial Day, sponsored by Hope Baptist Church, will feature free North Carolina barbecue, military vehicle rides, live music, a children’s obstacle course, parades and more. This free event is open to the public, rain or shine, at 3721 Quarry Road, outside Wake Forest. Event schedule runs from 9 a.m. to 4:15 pm. Website: www.celebratememorialday.com.

• The American Legion Post 67, in Cary will hold their annual service from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Hillcrest Cemetery, 600 Page St. Participants are invited to bring lawn chairs. For information, call 919-481-4811 or email carylegion67@aol.com.

• Johnston County Courthouse has a ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. at the at Market and Second streets in downtown Smithfield. Mike Wegman, a retired U.S. Navy officer, will speak. He teaches naval science at Smithfield-Selma High School.

• A wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial on the north lawn of the State Capitol in Raleigh begins at 10:45 a.m. with music by the St. Francis Brass Quintet followed by bagpiper Robert White at 11:20 a.m. and the invocation, advancement of colors and the “Star-Spangled Banner” at 11:30 a.m. Speaker is retired Marine Maj. Gen. Cornell A. Wilson Jr. Sponsored by The Tar Heel Detachment No. 733 of the Marine Corps League.

• The Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund will sponsor a Community Memorial Day Service at noon at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501 Glenwood Ave. There will be refreshments and a balloon release. For details, contact Kristin Lassiter at 919-877-9959

• Garner will hold its annual Memorial Day observance at 1:30 p.m. at Lake Benson Park (921 Buffalo Road) near the Garner Veterans Memorial. Free to the public.

• A remembrance by the Town of Cary is 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Veterans Freedom Park, 1513 N. Harrison Ave. Attendees are invited to bring chairs. Parking will be available at Cary Academy across the street. A free shuttle will take guests from the parking lot to Veterans Freedom Park. For information, call 919-469-4061 or search “Veterans Freedom Park Events” at www.townofcary.org

• The Veterans for Peace will host Memorial Day reflections with poetry, prose and song at 7 p.m. at the Regulator Bookshop, 720 Ninth St., Durham. Free. Speakers include B.J. Freeman, Dale Herman, John Heuer, Joe Moran, the Raging Grannies, Barry Reese, Ahmed Selim, Jim Senter, Douglas Ryder, Vicki Ryder and Sam Winstead. Get more information at 585-314-1413 or peace5942@gmail.com.
• The annual Memorial Day Concert and Ceremony in Asheville will begin at 2:30 p.m. on the Roger McGuire Green stage of Pack Square Park.
• The Asheville Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department will present a Memorial Day Pool-a-Palooza from 12-6 p.m. at the Recreation Park Pool on 75 Gashes Creek Rd.  Celebrate with music, swimming, pool contests, special recognitions, and fun.  General admission is $3. Active and non-active military personnel are FREE with a military I.D. and the first 50 military personnel will receive a Memorial Day goody bag. Contact Randy Shaw at 828-259-5483, or rshaw@ashevillenc.gov for more information.
• Birkdale Village will hold its annual Memorial Day celebration starting at 7 p.m. Monday. The celebration will include performances by Central Piedmont Community College’s Chorus, a flag-folding ceremony by North Mecklenburg High School’s Junior ROTC, and more. Joseph Reale, senior commander for American Legion Post 321, will speak as the honored guest. Details: www.charlotteonthecheap.com.
• Gaston Memorial Park and Carothers Funeral Homes will host their annual Memorial Day program, presented by the Gaston County Veterans Council at 10 a.m. Monday. There will be a performance by the Gaston Symphonic Band with ice cream for all veterans and their families at 1200 S. New Hope Road.
• There will be an open house at the American Military Museum located at 109 W. Second Ave in Gastonia, N.C. For details visit: www.dignitymemorial.com
• Lake Park in Union County will host its second annual Memorial Day ceremony 11 a.m. to noon Monday at Veterans Pond, 3708 Faith Church Road. Jason Braase of the Wounded Warrior Project will be this year’s keynote speaker. A presentation of colors will be performed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2423 Color Guard. Details: www.members.unioncountycoc.com.
• The Parade of Veterans will kick off Kannapolis’ Memorial Day ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Monday, beginning at the corner of Laureate Way and Main Street, ending at Veterans Park. The event is hosted by the Beaver-Pittman American Legion Post 115. Norris Dearmon of the Kannapolis Historical Committee will be the guest speaker. Details: 704-920-4311.
• On Memorial Day, May 25, 2015, at 5:45 pm, people of all generations from across the State will gather together on the deck of the USS North Carolina Battleship to pay their respects. Duke Ladd Music will be performing military and patriotic arrangements. The Battleship is honored this year to have guest speakers Major General Gregory A. Lusk, Adjutant General, North Carolina National Guard, and Senator Richard Burr. The Executive Director of the Battleship, Captain Terry A. Bragg and members of the USS NORTH CAROLINA Battleship Commission invite the public to this free event.

• The Thomasville Memorial Day Parade and Celebration will begin with a parade at 10 am at the Big Chair on the corner of Main and Salem Streets. This event features 100 American flags in formation and the Army Ground Forces Band. The procession will continue to Memorial Park and Cushwa Stadium. NC Lt. Governor Dan Forrest will speak at 12:30 p.m. The Special Forces Association Parachute Team will jump at 1:15 pm, at 1:30 p.m. there will be presentations, ending with Taps and a gun salute at 2 p.m.. For more information call 336-472-4422

• The Union County Memorial Day Ceremony and Vietnam Killed In Action Memorial Dedication will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Veterans Memorial park, located at 322 Veterans Drive in Union.