Memorial Day events locally begin Saturday in North Hampton, followed by events Sunday in Enon, Catawba and Tremont City.
On Monday, Springfield conducts its largest parade of the year with a Memorial Day event expected to draw thousands of spectators and potentially 3,000 participants. The parade will begin at 9 a.m. at Veterans Park, go north on Fountain, west on McCreight and wrap back around south on Plum to end at the park.
The grand marshal this year is Randy Ark, and this year’s theme is Remembering Their Sacrifice.
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The holiday weekend kicks off today with the fifth annual IndieCraft, with free admission presented by the Greater Springfield Partnership. The event features 13 bands in a variety of genres — punk, indie rock, alt country and more — at Mother Stewart’s Brewing Co., the State Theater and National Road Commons Park. Music events begin about 6 p.m. both days, and 12 breweries and more than a dozen food trucks will offer food and drink options during the companion event, BeerFest.
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IndieCraft moved from mid-May to Memorial Day weekend, hoping to reach more people, and added National Road Commons Park as a new location. For more information on IndieCraft bands, BeerFest or other details, go to indiecraftoh.com.
Saturday marks the opening for the Splash Zone Waterpark in Springfield, the New Carlisle Pool and the Urbana City Pool.
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It also is high school graduation season, with Greenon and Northwestern ceremonies today, followed by Springfield and Southeastern on Saturday.
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With all the weekend events planned, the weather could be a factor.
Today should be mostly sunny with a high in the 80s, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Saturday calls for a 60% chance of showers early but mostly sunny and 82 later in the day.
Sunday will be near 80 and include a 40% chance of showers, then the temperature drops to a high of 74 Monday with a 70% chance of showers. Some sunshine is in the forecast Monday, so it should not be a total washout.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey