Things to do this Memorial Day weekend on Long Island
The Bethpage Air Show returns in person, Splish Splash reopens and summer fun begins Memorial Day weekend. Here's what's happening:
BETHPAGE AIR SHOW Performances by the Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcons team, Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support attack aircraft, the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team, the U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 29-30, Jones Beach State Park, advance parking ticket required, capacity will be limited to 50%, $10 parking fee, you can watch a live stream on bethpageairshow.com, 516-490-2400. Sold out.
FLAG PLACEMENT AT NATIONAL CEMETERY Pay tribute to servicemen and women by placing flags at the grave sites at national cemetery. Sign up and you'll be assigned a section and several flags; 8 a.m. May 29, Long Island National Cemetery, 2040 Wellwood Ave., cem.va.gov, Farmingdale; 7 a.m. May 29, Calverton National Cemetery, 210 Princeton Blvd., Wading River, cem.va.gov, 631-727-5410. Everyone is required to wear a mask and socially distance.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AT THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARMOR An outdoor display of historic, "Friend and Foe" armor including a replica German Tiger tank and sturmgeschütz assault tank will confront an American Hellcat tank destroyer and the legendary Sherman tank along with other vehicles that include allied halftracks, armored cars and artillery, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. May 29-30, Old Bethpage Village Restoration, 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage, COVID protocols are observed inside the museum where donations are requested: $15, $8 for ages 5-12, seniors (60+) and veterans, www.museumofamericanarmor.org.
LONG ISLAND DUCKS HOME OPENER Long Island Ducks season home opener against the Lexington Legends, 6:35 p.m. May 28, the first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive wearable replica championship rings. There's a pre-game championship banner raising ceremony to celebrate the Ducks 2019 Atlantic League title. Festivities are slated to begin at approximately 6:10 p.m., Fairfield Properties Ballpark, 3 Court House Dr., Central Islip, $11-$15, liducks.com, 631-940-8499.
OUTDOOR CRAFT FAIR Aarray of artists and artisans featuring one of a kind creations and designs on display at the villgae craft fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 29, rain date: May 30, Smithtown Historical Society grounds, 211 E. Main St., Smithtown, free admission, depasmarket.com, 631-846-1459.
MEMORIAL DAY PARADE Parade commemorates the memory of all the fallen service members. Parade begins at 9 a.m. May 31, lining up on Osborn Avenue and Pulaski Street, Riverhead. The route runs down to Main Street, stopping for a ceremony at the WWI Memorial. The parade proceeds down East Main Street past the recently added Hometown Heroes banners before making two final stops at St. John’s cemetery and the Riverhead cemetery. The event is organized by the Riverhead Combined Veterans Committee,townofriverheadny.gov
AMERICAN AIRPOWER MUSEUM Continuing in its tradition of participation in the Jones Beach Air show, the museum will have its "Arsenal of Democracy" warbirds including a B-25, a Douglas C-47, a Grumman Avenger, the T-6 Texan and AT-28 flying in the air show on May 29-30. They'll lift off from Republic Airport to take part in the air show from Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale. In addition, three visiting F-18s will be on display on the museum’s tarmac from May 27-30. Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 27-May 30, $15 adults, $10 seniors and veterans, $8 ages 5-12, americanairpowermuseum.com, 631-293-6398.
MEMORIAL DAY SERIVCE The Commision on Veterans Patriotic events holds a Memorial Day service with guest speaker and Viet Nam veteran Kip Kirby of East Quogue, 11 a.m. May 31, Agawam Park, 51 Pond Lane, Southampton, southamptonvillage.org, 631-283-0247, ext. 231.
VANDERBILT MUSEUM The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum has reopened its gates for spring and invites visitors back 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Features include the first floor of the Hall of Fishes marine museum, the Memorial Wing collections galleries and the Habitat and Stoll Wing animal dioramas. Admission tickets may be purchased online or at the gate, vanderbiltmuseum.org. Public mansion tours begin on Memorial Day weekend, May 29-30, $10, $7 ages 12 and younger, 180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport, 631-854-5579.
SPRING VILLAGE ART AND CRAFT FAIR Artists and artisans featuring one-of-a-kind creations and designs; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., May 29, rain date May 30, Smithtown Historical Society, 239 Middle Country Rd., free, smithtownhistorical.org, 631-265-6768.
RIVERHEAD RACEWAY NASCAR Advance Auto weekly racing series includes modifieds, blunderbust, legends, enduros and more, gates open at 4 p.m. May 22; modifieds, super pro truck, mini-stocks, school bus figure 8s and more, gates open at 4 4 p.m. May 29, 1797 Old Country Rd., Riverhead, 631-842-7223, riverheadraceway.com, $30-$40 general admission, $10 ages 6-12; $56 for the pits without a NASCAR license; $36 with a license.
SPLISH SPLASH OPENING Park reopens after remaining closed last season; 2549 Splish Splash Dr., Calverton. Opens Memorial Day weekend; splishsplash.com, 631-727-3600.
BARBARA BARTELL MEMORIAL RUNDAY 5K Race begins at 950 South Oyster Bay Rd., and continues through the streets of Hicksville and Bethpage. Kids' fun run (ages 12 and younger) begins at 8 a.m., benefits mental health and substance abuse counseling, 8:30 a.m. May 29. Fees for the 5k: $25, $10 ages 16 and younger; free for fun run, nwsdy.li/bbartell, 516-396-2753.
LONG BEACH MEMORIAL DAY CITY MANAGER 10-MILE RACE TO REMEMBER 10-mile/5k race on the boardwalk dedicated to the memory of race founder Ralph Kaplan; 8 a.m., May 30, Long Beach Recreation Center, Magnolia Boulevard, at West Bay Drive, Long Beach, longbeachny.gov/rec, 516-431-3890.
MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AND CEREMONY Assembly for the parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. May 31 on Beltagh Avenue near the Wantagh Middle School and the parade steps off at 10 a.m. The parade travels south on Wantagh Avenue to Park Avenue where it makes a left on Park Avenue to the American Legion Hall where it ends. Sponsored by the Wantagh American Legion Post 1273, the memorial ceremony takes place at the post at 3484 Park Ave., Wantagh at 11 a.m. May 31.
INSTALLATION OF CERAMIC POPPIES Art students at Riverhead High School will be installing over 200 ceramic poppies at the World War I Monument garden on the grounds of the Suffolk County Historical Society, in honor of Memorial Day on May 27. The poppies will be on display through May 31; 300 West Main St., Riverhead, free, suffolkcountyhistorialsociety.org, 631-727-3467.
