Patch Picks: Memorial Day Happenings

Monday is Memorial Day - a day of remembrance for those who died in our nation’s service. Although the three day Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial summer kick-off for many people, honoring or remembering our fallen war heroes  is equally important over this special holiday weekend. 

Here are some events around the area:

• In true recognition of the day, The Long Island National Cemetery Memorial Organization Inc. welcomes the public to its annual Memorial Day service this Sunday, May 29. It begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Wellwood Avenue entrance in Farmingdale. Military and organization color guards will present their colors and all 345,000 graves will be decorated with an American flag the day before. Seating will be available and attendees can also enjoy the new Memorial Garden after the service.  
• The Bethpage Federal Credit Union Air Show at Jones Beach State Park is a huge Memorial Day weekend crowd-pleaser. Last year, the Saturday and Sunday events drew a total of 357,000 people! This year’s lineup, according to the jonesbeachairshow.com website, will include the  A-10 Thunderbolt II, along with a very impressive roster of military and civilian aerobatic performers. The Air Show runs Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. You’re going to want to get there early!  
•  The Memorial Day Parade is a great way to spend Memorial Day morning. It starts at 10 a.m. on Front Street and proceeds on to Park Boulevard to Clark Boulevard then on to for a service and wreath laying ceremony.
• If you’re a soccer buff or have one in your family, The Massapequa Soccer Club will host its 32nd Annual Lincoln Page Memorial Day Tournament Friday night and all day Saturday and Sunday, May 28 and 29. It qualifies as one of the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association’s biggest tournaments and 300 teams of both boys and girls’ squads will be taking part. Playing fields will span John Burns Park and Field of Dreams in Massapequa, Bethpage State Park, Brentwood State Park, Peter Collins Soccer Park in Plainview and Hofstra University in Hempstead. Admission is free, and a turnout of close to 25,000 people is expected. More info is available at http://www.massapequasc.com.
• If you’re hoping to kick back and usher in the summer with some fine food & drink and fabulous rock & roll music, head East! Claudio’s Restaurant, Clam Bar Wharf & Marina on Main Street in Greenport is ready to kick off your summer and help you celebrate Memorial Day Weekend. An East End mainstay since 1870 (yes, 1870!), this family-friendly nautical nook draws a lively crowd of all ages. Coveted cover band (and long-time Claudio’s house band) X-Session will rock the deck Saturday from 2 – 6 p.m. Claudio’s will also offer live music on the deck Sunday and Monday from 2-6 p.m. For more info, visit www.claudios.com or call (631) 477-0627.

No matter what your particular Memorial Day weekend plans shape up to be (after all, it is a free country), all Americans can unite to observe in their own way a moment of silence in remembrance and respect. Enacted in 2000 by Congress, The National Moment of Remembrance asks Americans, wherever they are at 3 p.m., local time, to pause for one minute on Memorial Day in an expression of national unity to remember and pay tribute to all those who died in service to the United States. http://www.usmemorialday.org/Speeches/President/may0200.txt