Memorial Day Weekend: Parade Routes, Traffic Restrictions, Events

Memorial Day Weekend is upon Stonington, Mystic and Pawcatuck and coming with it are a plethora of events to fill your weekend. On Thursday, Calendar Editor Caitlin Marquis’s Get Out Weekend Planner featured events throughout southeastern Connecticut to enjoy. For those who plan on staying in Stonington, Pawcatuck and Mystic, though, here’s your guide to the parades and some of the other events happening right here, plus information on traffic restrictions.

Parade Routes

Westerly-Pawcatuck Memorial Day Parade: The Westerly-Pawcatuck Veterans Board of Control organizes a Memorial Day Parade in Westerly and Pawcatuck on May 30, 2011. Marchers begin lining up at the Pawcatuck Shopping Center at 37 S Broad Street at 8:30 a.m. The parade kicks off at 9:30 a.m. and proceeds on east on Route 234 to Route 1. The parade pauses at the World War I Monument for a ceremony before turning left on Route 1 and proceeding through downtown Pawcatuck crossing into Westerly where it will end at the gazebo in Wilcox Park.

Old Mystic Memorial Day Parade: The small Old Mystic Memorial Day  Parade kicks off at 8:30 a.m. at the Old Mystic Fire Department Station 1 on North Stonington Road and travels through Old Mystic to Main Street.

Mystic Memorial Day Parade:  The VFW Hugo A Simonelli Post organizes Mystic’s 2011 Memorial Day Parade. The parade kicks off at 2 p.m., on Monday May 30, 2011 at Mystic’s Bank Square Books and travels along Route 1 to the VFW Post at 60 Stonington Rd., in Mystic. 

Events

Long Island Sound Day Celebration: On Friday and Saturday the kicks off the weekend by celebrating Long Island Sound. The hands on activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. are included with price of admission to the aquarium.

Lobster Days At Mystic Seaport: Jump into summer with a lobster meal at the Mystic Seaport. Saturday, Sunday and Monday the Mystic Seaport will serve a from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Tom Clagget Boat Shed. Tickets start $7 for a twin hot dog dinner up to $39 for an adult lobster dinner with admission to the museum. The proceeds from the vent support the Mystic Rotary Club.

AngelRide Finish Line: Mystic is the finish line of a two-day bicycle ride across Connecticut that raises . Cyclists will ride into Mystic on Sunday May 29,2011 ending at the Mystic YMCA. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Mystic YMCA will be hosting various activities celebrating the cyclists 135-mile ride.

Memorial Day Fundraiser: The Workshop, Social Aid and Pleasure Club host a fundraiser to benefit families of veterans on Sunday May 29, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The event for those over 21, at 40 Washington Street in Mystic is free, although donations will go to the families of veterans. Live music by The sheiks B3 group and the Mystic Horns.

Third Annual Memorial Day 5K Bearathon: It’s time to grab your running shoes for the annual . The 5K, 3.1-mile, race takes runners around Masons Island. The race begins at the Mystic YMCA on Monday, May 30, 2011 at 10 a.m. Registration costs $15 before race day and $20 on race day. Proceeds benefit the Class of 2011. Last year the class raised over $2,000 and donated $500 to the Mystic VFW. Download a registration form by clicking here.

Veterans’ Luncheon: Stonington High School and the Pawcatuck Lions Club sponsor the annual at the VFW Harley P Chase Post in Pawcatuck on Tuesday, May 31, 2011. The lunch honors those current and retired members of the armed forces. Lunch is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., all current and retired armed forces members are invited to attend and students will provide live musical entertainment.

Traffic Restrictions

According to AAA Southern New England, more than 34.9 million people in the United States will travel over Memorial Day Weekend and while all of them are not descending on Mystic, Pawcatuck and Stonington expect traffic to be slow and finding a place to park difficult at times.

The Stonington Police Department issued a for Monday, May 30 reminding residents “traffic and parking congestion will be significant…” in the areas during where there are parades. There will be no parking along the parade route in Pawcatuck and Mystic. No parking notices will be posted. During the parades there will also be no thru automobile traffic.

Be careful and have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!