Pittsburgh Memorial Day 2018 Events: 5 You Should Consider

PITTSBURGH, PA - Memorial Day is a holiday unlike any other, mixing solemnity and recognition of sacrifice with what amounts to a celebration of the unofficial beginning of summer.

In Pittsburgh, there’s no shortages of services and fun activities on Memorial Day. If you’re traveling home after being away for the long weekend, here are five events you might want to attend:

• Carnegie Science Center USS Requin Memorial Service, 10 a.m., North Shore

Veterans of USS VI Requin Base will host al memorial ceremony aboard the Cold War-era submarine. They will toll a bell once in memory of each submarine on “Eternal Patrol” and will cast flower petals on the river water.
The Marine Color Guard from Three Rivers Leatherneck Detachment 310 and the VFW Post 9199 Honor Guard will perform a 21-gun salute.

After the service, visitors are invited to tour Requin. Admission to the submarine is free all day.

• Lawrenceville Memorial Day Parade, May 28, 10 a.m.

Lawrenceville’s 110th annual Memorial Day Parade typically has all of the requisites for such an event: marching bands, classic cars, the Pirate Parrot, Iceburgh, veterans’ groups and more. The parade begins at 40th and Butler Street and lasts about an hour.

• Allegheny Cemetery Memorial Day Service-Community Picnic, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

You probably didn’t realize that the Lawrenceville Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 15,000 veterans. After the parade there will be a military memorial service at the Soldiers Memorial overlooking the National Civil War lot in Section 33. After the service, the free picnic will feature music, giveaways, food trucks, face painting, a classic car show and more.

• Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Day Celebration, 11 a.m., Oakland

A ceremony for fallen Pennsylvania service members from the war on terrorism will be held and include a 6th Regiment Drum Corps performance. The day also will include a concert by Brass Roots, a bounce house, obstacle course, track, craft table with assorted patriotic crafts, spin art, a caricature artist and Mike the Balloon Guy.

• Senator John Heinz History Center Memorial Day Flag Ceremony, noon, Strip District

Join local veterans in the center’s Great Hall to help to unfurl a giant 36-foot American Flag. During the ceremony, people can participate in the National Anthem and observe a moment of silence for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Afterward, ceremoniously fold the flag up again with the help of fellow visitors.

Photo via Shutterstock.

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