Lakewood Ranch Tribute to Heroes Parade
The sixth annual Tribute to Heroes parade in Lakewood Ranch begins at 6 p.m. Sunday on Main Street, with other street festivities starting at 5 p.m. To register your children in the decorated bike contest, go to lwrac.com. Bystanders are encouraged to bring and wave American flags during the parade featuring floats, marching bands, vintage cars and more - including a Veterans of Foreign Wars reading of the poem “In Flanders Fields.” Manasota Operations Troop Support will accept donations such as snacks, coffee packets, powdered drinks, white socks, triple-edged razors, wet wipes, trail mix and more for troops from Sarasota and Manatee counties.
6 p.m. Sunday; Main Street, Lakewood Ranch; free; lwrac.com
9th Annual Jacobite Memorial Day Show
The Jacobites Pipe & Drum Band will pay tribute to the military and first Responders as the brass, pipes and dancers entertain and educate through music and stories.
3 p.m. Sunday; Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota; $15 (advance), $20 (at the door); 928-0296; jacobitesband.com
Memorial Day Parade
America’s veterans will be honored by thousands of Sarasota County residents on Memorial Day with the parade starting at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Main Street and Osprey Avenue in downtown Sarasota. The route of the march will be west along Main Street to Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park on Gulfstream Avenue. The theme of this year’s parade and ceremony is “Freedom Isn’t Free.”
“The parade and ceremony is an opportunity to honor not only veterans of the Armed Services but police officers, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and emergency medical personnel,” says Patriotic Observance Committee President Dan Kunkel.
Marching units will include the veteran service organizations, law enforcement agencies, fire departments and their color guards, civic organizations, high school bands, ROTC units and historical military equipment. A ceremony at Hamel Park will begin immediately after the parade. Ted Smith, vice president and chaplain of the Sarasota Veterans Commission will be the guest speaker.
Because of the parade, there will be several tow away zones and street closure notices from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. around downtown Monday. Vehicles not removed by the posted time will be towed at the owner’s expense. If you do get towed, call Upman’s Towing at 365-7084.
10 a.m. Monday; downtown Sarasota; free; scgov.net
Venice Ceremony
A Venice ceremony will be hosted by the American Legion Novel Post 159 at Patriots Park at the northern junction of Business 41 and Bypass 41. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. Water will be provided.
10 a.m. Monday; Patriots Park, 800 Venetia Bay Blvd., Venice: 485-4748; novelpost159.org
Memorial Day Concert
A salute to veterans with a concert a Philippi Park. Lawn chairs and coolers are welcome.
5-7 p.m. Monday; Philipi Estate Park, 5500 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 861-5000; scgov.net
Memorial Day at Sarasota National Cemetery
A program honoring fallen veterans and their families is planned at 5 p.m. Sunday. A special salute to Vietnam veterans is planned during the ceremony: local veterans of that era attending will receive a special salute and commemorative lapel pin. The Sarasota Military Academy band will perform. Brig. Gen. Richard M. Blunt (U.S. Army, Ret) is the keynote speaker.
5 p.m. Sunday; 9810 State Road 72, Sarasota; 922-7200; cem.va.gov
