Memorial Day in Royal Oak: Pancakes, Parade, Premiere, Bikes, Baseball

There is plenty to do in Royal Oak on Memorial Day - and great weather forecast to do it in.

The weather: Sunny and 77 degrees at parade time, hitting the upper 80s by mid-afternoon. So bring your sunscreen and maybe an umbrella, too – we haven't had a lot of these kinds of days yet this spring.

• Start your day at the  at the  from 7 a.m.-noon, sponsored by the . The meal is all you can eat, $6 for adults and $3 for children 10 and under.
• Then head over to the day's main event, the annual , which begins at 9 a.m. Monday. The parade starts at South Main Street and Harrison, heading north to Second Street, then east to the Veteran's Memorial between City Hall and the library.
• Stick around for the memorial service for veterans of all conflicts at the city’s Veteran’s Memorial. Two special events at this year’s memorial service will highlight the long history of military service by local residents. First, Daniel Connolly, 24, will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. Second, a new Civil War monument will be unveiled.
• After the parade and memorial service, head over to nearby for the Blessing of the Bikes: Gear Up for Summer. Members of the community are invited to have their bikes or other youthful wheeled transportation (scooters, skateboards) blessed in the church's parking lot (on the corner of Main and Sixth streets) every 15 minutes starting at 10:45 a.m. There will also be free hotdogs, crafts and military care package construction.

Need more entertainment? You have two more choices:

• After the historically accurate Wahoo Base Ball Club of Royal Oak marches in the parade, members will head to for a 12:30 p.m. game against the Lah De Dahs of Greenfield Village.
• At noon Monday, the doors of the  open for the debut of The Legends, an Honor Flight Michigan documentary that pays tribute to World War II veterans. This special event also includes the release of its commemorative book and kickoff for its fund-raising drive to build a permanent monument in honor of all Michigan servicemen and servicewomen who served during World War II. Tickets are $10 each for the program, which starts at 1 p.m. and includes a color guard, military re-enactors and the singing of the national anthem by 16-year-old Rachael Wojta of Berkley. Veterans get in for free. The documentary features never-before-seen footage of Honor Flight trips and interviews with veterans, former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole and the late Honor Flight Michigan founder David Cameron.

Holiday closures

Remember, there are a few closings today, too:

• City offices
• Royal Oak post office
• Royal Oak Public Library
• Most banks
• Many other businesses will be closed today. Call ahead to be sure if you are planning a visit.