Memorial Day Weekend Events Around the U.S.

This great museum in New York houses museum ships at Pier 86 along the Hudson River, with one of the star exhibits being the flight carrier the USS Intrepid. To celebrate Memorial Day, there will be movie night with Top Gun being shown on the flight deck as the kickoff event on Friday, May 26th. Then there will be special events and displays leading up to Memorial Day the whole weekend.

This display is part of several Navy demonstrations for Fleet Week, so you can also look for other events in your neighborhood.

The county fair has been going on this whole month, but its final weekend on Memorial Day is a great time to go for excellent family entertainment. There are awesome rides, cool concerts still going on including the Isley Brothers on May 26th, and of course, delicious food.

Chicago has fireworks shows going through the whole summer every Saturday night, and they go between Memorial Day and Labor Day. You could also check out some rides and attractions at Navy Pier, or just take a walk along The Chicago River or Lake Michigan if you want to keep it simple.

This free annual concert held in the U.S. Capitol West Lawn is put on every year and broadcast by PBS. The 2023 show will feature celebrity performers including Mary McCormack, and Gary Sinise, who played Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump. There will also be group performances from the National Symphony Orchestra, choral groups representing the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force and more.

The Hyundai Air & Sea Show in Miami Beach is where you want to go for huge displays of technology, and even some flyovers of fighter jets later on in the day. It’s going on from May 27th to the 28th.

The Greek Festival in the Bayou St. John neighborhood is put on every year by the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, and features a Run/Walk Race on the 27th, and Hellenic Dancers on every day of the weekend. There are also amazing Greek treats you can sample as well as wine and beer on offer.

On the 26th and 27th, there will be some world class dance performances at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. The Emerson Spring to Dance Festival will be going into its 15th year in 2023, and features all genres of dance out of groups from all over the country.

If you find yourself on the coast in Jersey around Memorial Day, check out this food truck festival at the Monmouth Park race course, which is also known for horse racing and betting.

This has been a new tradition since 2010, where thousands of small flags are planted by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, each representing a Massachusetts service member who has died since the Revolutionary War.

The Rose Festival has events through the whole summer, and kicks off with fireworks and a concert by the Nu Wavers on the 26th. There will also be a treasure hunt, sure to be a ton of fun for the family, on Sunday, May 28th.

If you want to see some great folk music in a beautiful region in Colorado, the 14th MeadowGrass Music Festival is going on over Memorial Day Weekend! You’ll have to pay for a weekend or day pass, and there are also camping options, but children under 12 are allowed in free with a paid adult.

The second season game of Seattle's WNBA team, the Seattle Storm is happening at their home arena, the Climate Pledge Arena, on the 26th. The Storm have won four WNBA Championship titles, and also foster a family-friendly atmosphere with fun activities during the games, and an all-kids dance squad that lead conga lines during time-outs.

Arizona is home to some beautiful National Parks, but they are usually mobbed by visitors over Memorial Day Weekend, so check those out if you dare. Arizona has plenty of statues and public parks dedicated to service members, including Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, an open-air space with monuments to several prominent figures, Wars and moments in Arizona’s history.

On the 28th, Dallas’ Klyde Warren Park will be hosting a Movie Marathon beginning at 3:30 pm with Raya and the Last Dragon. The second screening starts at 5:30 with a showing of Twilight, and the movie musical La La Land will be the last film of the night starting at 7:30.

If you want to attend a solemn event meant for reflection, the Avenue of Flags event in Madison, Wisconsin’s Sunset Memory Gardens is another good option. This one occurs on Memorial Day proper, or Monday, May 29th. The official program begins at 2 pm. at the cemetery chapel, and you can arrive early to explore the ceremony, which will have lots of small flags placed around veteran graves and lining walkways.

The Whitefish Mountain Resort will be officially open for summer activities for the first time this Memorial Day weekend on May 27th. Whether you want to soak in views on a beautiful hike or bike ride, or you’re a bigger thrill-seeker and want to check out the aerial adventure park and zip line tours, there’s a ton to enjoy here for all skill levels.

This historic Memorial Day Parade has been going on in the Queens/Long Island, New York area since 1927, and is coming up again on Memorial Day, May 29th. It will step off at 2 p.m., and organizers have said that the parade goes on rain or shine.

This Memorial Day observance, located at Camp Dodge in Iowa, is family-friendly and serves free breakfast from the wee hours of the morning at 6 am. There will also be musical performances and vendors along with the museum’s usual exhibits.

MLB season is underway, so you can look up games near you for a great Memorial Day Weekend option. If you happen to be in the Detroit area, there’s going to be several home games going on at Comerica Park against the Chicago White Sox through the weekend, and the Texas Rangers on Memorial Day itself.

Zoo Atlanta puts on this incredible adults-only event in collaboration with local breweries and wineries all around Georgia every Memorial Day Weekend. It’s a unique way to check out the animals, and you can either see some live music or talk with animal experts depending on your mood.