Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of the summer season. For metro Atlantans, this means three glorious days for food, fun, and sun in celebration of the brave men and women of the Armed Services. The 11Alive News Help Desk compiled a list of fun and affordable parades, festivals, and ceremonies for you, your friends, and family to enjoy!
Saturday and Sunday are jam packed with events involving music and the arts. The Atlanta Jazz Festival at Piedmont Park is the nation's largest FREE jazz festival with a line-up of performers showcasing the best of what the genre has to offer. The Decatur Arts Festival offers a variety of events to highlight the performing, literary, and fine arts. If you're looking to start or add to a personal art collection, you should check out the two-day silent auction benefiting the Decatur Arts Alliance. The steel drums and vibrant costumes at the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival brings the sights and sounds of the islands to the streets of Atlanta. Dance your way down the parade route starting at the MARTA Civic Center station and ending at Morris Brown Herndon Stadium.
Memorial Day ceremonies will be held throughout the metro area on Monday. Salute the Troops at Stone Mountain offers a variety of patriotic activities and features family friendly laser and firework shows. Remember Roswell in the city of Roswell is the largest commemorative celebration in Georgia. Remember Roswell starts at 10:30 with food tents and concerts following the ceremony. The city of Smyrna is also sponsoring a free event at 20th Century Veteran's Memorial starting at 9:30 a.m. Click here for more information on Memorial Day ceremonies and festivities.
The 11Alive News Help Desk would like to express our utmost gratitude to all active duty and veteran military personnel. Thank you for your selfless service and on this Memorial Day, we salute YOU!
Memorial Day Resource Guide:
Suwanee concert salutes veterans
The city of Suwanee will host a Memorial Day weekend concert featuring patriotic and big-band sounds. Blankets, chairs, and picnics welcome. No alcohol may be brought into Town Center Park.
Free admission
Friday, May 23 7:00 p.m.
Town Center Park, 330 Town Center Ave., Suwanee
www.suwanee.com
Jazz Festival
Atlanta Jazz Festival features local and national jazz on two stages, arts and crafts, food vendors, and a kids' zone in Piedmont Park.
Free admission
Friday May 23 4:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Saturday May 24 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Sunday May 25 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Piedmont Park, 1320 Monroe Dr. NE Atlanta, GA
www.atlantajazzfestival.com
Decatur Arts Festival
Decatur Arts Festival includes an art walk Friday evening and an artists' market with live music Saturday and Sunday.
Free admission
Friday May 23 – Sunday May 25, 2014
Agnes Scott College, 141 E. College Ave. Decatur, GA
www.decaturartsfestival.com
Marietta Memorial Day Flag Placement
The Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts of America Foothills District places flags on the more than 18,000 graves of U.S. military veterans in the Marietta National Cemetery.
Free admission
Saturday, May 24 8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Marietta National Cemetery, 500 Washington Ave. N.E. Marietta, GA
www.foothillsbsa.org/memorial-day-flags-information
Military Timeline Event
Events available throughout the day include role play at Veterans Park, where you can experience what it was like to be a World War I soldier, firing demonstration, arts and crafts, re-enactors representing veterans from the American Revolution and author Alvin Townley gives a speech about his novel, "Defiant".
$16.50 adults, $13 students and seniors, $11 children 4-12, Children under 4 years old and free admission for visitors with military ID
Saturday May 24 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Atlanta History Center, 130 W. Paces Ferry Rd. Atlanta, GA
www.atlantahistorycenter.com/family
Caribbean carnival
Atlanta Caribbean Carnival celebrates Caribbean culture, cuisine, and costumes with a parade.
Saturday May 24 12:00 p.m.
Carnival starts at Marta Civic Center, 435 West Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA
Carnival ends at Morris Brown Herndon Stadium, 643 Martin Luther King Dr. Atlanta, GA
www.atlantacarnival.org
Brew at the Zoo
Brew at the Zoo is a fundraiser that features beer and wine tasting, food, live music, rides, and animal encounters at Zoo Atlanta. Requires age 21 ID.
Tickets start at $38.00
Saturday May 24 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
800 Cherokee Ave SE Atlanta, GA
www.zooatlanta.org
Duluth Honors Wounded Warriors
The ceremony will honor the nation's servicemen and women as well as pay special tribute to fallen and wounded soldiers. Duluth's Memorial Day ceremony will pay special tribute to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Free admission
Saturday May 25 6:00 p.m.
Festival Center, 3142 Hill St. NW Duluth, GA
www.woundedwarriorproject.org
Salute the Troops at Stone Mountain
Enjoy unlimited access to all of Stone Mountain Park attractions including Sky Hike, Scenic Railroad, Summit Skyride and Adventure Golf. Stay for a special patriotic fireworks salute in the evening after the Laser Show Spectacular.
All active and retired military personnel will receive one free Adventure Pass with valid ID and will save up to $10 off per person for immediate family members.
Saturday May 24 through Monday 26 10:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Stone Mountain Park, 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd. Stone Mountain, GA
www.stonemountainpark.com/events/Memorial-Day-Weekend
Memorial Day at the mountain
Salute the Troops includes live music, a patriotic laser show, and fireworks at Stone Mountain Park. Discount provided for all active and retired military.
$10 for a one day parking pass; $35 for an annual parking pass
Saturday May 24 through Monday May 26
1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd. Stone Mountain, GA
www.stonemountainpark.com
Meet Our Veterans: World War II Round Table of Atlanta
Organized by the World War II Round Table of Atlanta. Many exhibitors include Tuskegee Airmen, Witness to War Foundation and several World War II, Korean and Vietnam war veterans.
Free admission
Sunday May 25 1:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.
Concourse Athletic Club, 8 Concourse Parkway NE Atlanta, GA
www.atlantawwiiroundtable.org
Alpharetta veterans to be honored
Boy Scout Troop 69 and the Alpharetta Historical Society will place flags at the grave sites of 58 Alpharetta war veterans.
Free admission
Saturday May 24 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
Resthaven Cemetery, 90 Milton Ave. Alpharetta, GA
www.alpharetta.ga.us
African Experience Festival
The African Experience Festival celebrates diversity, culture, and people of African origin with live music, food, vendors, fashion and games at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody.
Free admission
May 25, 2014 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Brook Run Park, 4770 N. Peachtree Rd. Dunwoody, GA
www.tafexonline.com
Artillery demonstration, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield
Artillery demonstrations are conducted by the Kennesaw Mountain Gun Crew and take place at various locations on the battlefield.
Free admission.
Sunday May 25 – Monday May 26 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, 900 Kennesaw Mountain Dr. Kennesaw, GA
City of Woodstock Memorial Day ceremony
The city of Woodstock joins forces with the American Legion, Marine Corps League, and other local veterans groups to honor those who have fought and those who have fallen in the service.
Free admission.
Monday May 26 10:00 a.m.
The Park at City Center, 101 Arnold Mill Rd. Woodstock, GA
www.woodstockga.gov
Dacula Memorial Day parade
Grand marshal Roy Wallis, a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army, will lead a tribute parade for the fallen men and women.
Monday May 26 10:00 a.m.
Parade begins at Hebron Baptist Church, 202 Hebron Church Road
Parade ends at Dacula High School. 123 Broad St. Dacula, GA
www.daculamemorialday.com
Roswell Remembers at Roswell City Hall
Veterans reflect during Georgia's largest Memorial Day ceremony This event includes memorial displays open to the public, music from the Atlanta wind symphony and Chattahoochee Celtic pipes and drums. The featured speaker is Jonna Doolittle Hoppes, founder of the Doolittle Foundation. Because of abrupt gunshots from the 21-gun salute, this event is not suitable for pets.
Free admission.
Monday May 26 10:00 a.m.
38 Hill St. Roswell, GA
www.roswellmemorialday.com
Henry County's Annual Memorial Day Service at Veterans Wall of Honor
There will be a presentation of the colors by the Ola AFJROTC Color Guard, a ceremonial wreath laying and music from bagpipe and bugle. The keynote speaker will be retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Gary Freedman.
Free admission
Monday May 26 11:00 a.m.
Veterans Wall of Honor in McDonough's Heritage Park, 101 Lake Dow Rd. McDonough, GA
www.henrycounty-ga.org
20th Century Veterans Memorial
Celebrate with the City of Smyrna for Memorial Day to honor fallen veterans and help support local veterans and their families.
Free admission
9:30 a.m.
800 King St. Smyrna, GA
www.smyrnacity.com
Boston Red Sox vs. Atlanta Braves
Watch the Atlanta Braves take on the Boston Red Sox.
Tickets prices vary
Monday, May 26 1:10 p.m.
Turner Field, 755 Hank Aaron Dr. SE, Atlanta, GA
