Memorial Day Events In Sarasota Celebrate America’s 250th

SARASOTA, FL — With America celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, Memorial Day events in the Sarasota area could have a more patriotic bent than in previous years.

Memorial Day Weekend runs May 23-25, with the holiday itself falling on Monday, the 25th.

Memorial Day is traditionally a somber recognition of soldiers who died in the Revolutionary War and the American Civil War, fought to establish and maintain freedom and liberty for all, and in every war with U.S. involvement since.

A National Moment of Remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time, and Floridians are encouraged to pause wherever they are for one minute of silence and join other Americans in honoring the men and women who died in U.S. military service.

• Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony, Monday, 10 a.m., downtown Sarasota
• Memorial Day Ceremony, Monday, 10 a.m., Patriots Park, Venice
• Memorial Day Ceremony, Monday, 10 a.m., Sarasota National Cemetery

Memorial Day Weekend is also often regarded as the unofficial start to summer. Activities on the lighter side of the holiday include the following:

• Free admission for active and retired military personnel, Saturday through Monday, at Jungle Gardens, Sarasota
• 11th Annual SRQ Vets 5K Memorial Hike, Saturday, 8 a.m., JD Hamel Park, Sarasota
• Star Spangled Spectacular, Saturday, 7:30 p.m., CoolToday Park, Venice
• AquaPalooza, Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., MarineMax, Sarasota
• Water Slide Party, Sunday, noon to 5p.m., Big Top Brewing, Sarasota
• Memorial Day Picnic, Monday, 11 a.m., Knights of Columbus, Venice
• Memorial Day Concert, Monday, 5 p.m., Phillippi Estate Park, Sarasota
• Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble Memorial Day Concert, Monday, 5 p.m., Patriots Plaza, Sarasota National Ceremony

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