Memorial Day Weekend in Royal Oak

Staying in town for the long Memorial Day weekend? Good choice, because there’s plenty to do and pretty good weather forecast to do it in. Here’s what you need to know:

Weather

Saturday and Sunday are predicted to warm up into the 70s and 80s, but with a chance of rain and thunderstorms overnight Saturday and early Sunday. Monday looks to be the best day: sunny and warm, with highs in the mid-80s.

Gas prices

The least expensive gas around town was $3.89 a gallon at the three gas stations at 12 Mile and Crooks roads this morning. It is running around $3.99 a gallon at many other Royal Oak gas stations and as much as $4.08 per gallon at the Marathon at 11 Mile Road and Campbell, according to GasBuddy.com.

What’s closed

• offices and will be closed Monday.
• is open regular hours Saturday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and closed Sunday and Monday.
• will be closed Saturday-Monday. But you can still  return books and other borrowed media at the drop boxes near the south entrance and at the curb on 11 Mile Road.
• Most banks will be closed Monday. Call ahead if you are planning a visit.
• Some other businesses will be closed, including:
• : No classes Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Holiday hours Monday are 5 a.m.-noon.
• Downtown favorites  and will be closed on Memorial Day and Scout Royal Oak will be closed Friday-Monday.

If you were hoping to dip a toe this weekend, be aware are closed:

• Metro Beach Metropark: The Macomb County Health Department reports park management will keep the beach closed due to the heavy rainfall and ongoing sanitary and combined sewer overflows. 

While the beaches are closed, the remainder of the park facilities remain open.

Cool off

So if your favorite beach is closed ansd with temperatures expected to exceed 80 degrees on Monday, area residents may wish to:

• use Metro Beach’s Olympic-sized swimming pool or splash zone to cool off
• head to Stony Creek Metropark in Shelby Township where the beaches are open
• attend opening day of Red Oaks Waterpark in Madison Heights and enjoy half-price entry rates all this weekend. Admission includes all-day access to the triple-flume waterslide, the wave pool and the River Ride. Kids can enjoy the Soak Station, the children's water playground or the Spray & Play, a water play area for toddlers. The park is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Monday.

Farmers Market

The Royal Oak Farmers Market is “pretty much business as usual” these days, reports events coordinator Shelly Mazur. “The asparagus is wonderful, strawberries will be coming soon, all the farmers are back with great garden plants, herbs, spinach and greens etc.,” she said.

Memorial Day prep

Volunteers are still needed to place flags on the graves at  from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday. For more information, contact Carol Ginotti at 248-515-5557 or Carol Hennessey at 248-543-8420 or email royaloakmemorialday@gmail.com.

On Memorial Day

You can make a full day of it in Royal Oak on Memorial Day.

• The will sponsor a at the from 7 a.m.-noon. The meal is all you can eat, $6 for adults and $3 for children 10 and under.
• The main event is the , 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.
• At the conclusion of the parade, a memorial service will take place 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 Royal Oak residents. First, Daniel Connolly, 24, of Royal Oak, 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, starting at 10:45 a.m., nearby will host 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. There will also be free hotdogs, crafts and military care package construction.
• 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.