SALT LAKE CITY MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS
Memorial Day is coming up, and although it is a good excuse to kick off the summer with a great barbeque, it’s also a great opportunity to set aside time to remember and honor those who served in the military.
Not sure how to do that? Salt Lake City has many options for Memorial Day activities for you and your family that are help you honor fallen soldiers and can also be enjoyable for the whole family. Let’s take a look at what our city has to offer this wonderful Memorial Day weekend.
VISIT A MEMORIAL SITE
A great cost-friendly idea is to visit a memorial site. Memory Grove Park in Salt Lake City is a great option. It was first acquired as land by Salt Lake City in 1902, and it later became a memorial ground in the 1920s.
In 1924, the women of the Service Star Legion suggested that this land be used as a memorial to fallen military men. Ever since then, many memorials have been added to Memory Grove Park including the Pagoda, the Meditation Chapel, and the Beason Memorial. It even includes a replica of the Liberty Bell.
Located at 300 N. Canyon Road in downtown SLC, it is easy to get to Memory Grove park from anywhere in the Salt Lake valley.
Visit the Fort Douglas Military Museum
A special way to celebrate Memorial Day this Memorial Day weekend is to educate yourself on the history of Utah soldiers and veterans. One way to do this is by visiting the Fort Douglas Military Museum.
Admission to the Fort Douglas Military Museum is free, and it is open from Tuesday to Saturday. So, this is an activity you could do on the weekend leading up to Memorial Day on Monday.
The museum is located very close to downtown Salt Lake City at 32 Potter Street, so no need to pack up for a road trip.
VISIT HILL AEROSPACE MUSEuM
Hill Aerospace Museum is a fantastic location to visit this Memorial Day weekend with your family, friends, or even by yourself. Admission here is also free, and it is open from Tuesday to Saturday as well.
Hill Aerospace Museum features over 70 aircrafts from throughout Utah’s military history. If you cannot make it to the museum in person, Hill Aerospace Museum offers virtual tours on their website, so you can view the aircraft exhibits from the comfort of your home.
While not quite as close to downtown as the Fort Douglas Museum, Hill Aerospace is still an easy drive. Just jump on I-15 North and head towards Roy, Utah. It is about a 20-30 minute drive depending on where you are coming from in SLC.
PARTICIPATE IN A MEMORIAL DAY RUN
Here in Salt Lake City, Air Force ROTC Detachment 850 is putting on their first Memorial Day 5K Run on Saturday May 27th at the Rice-Eccles Stadium. Air Force ROTC Detachment 850 is a military training program for freshman and sophomore students at the University of Utah who desire to serve in the United States Air Force as an Officer.
This event serves as a fundraiser for the program. This would be an excellent opportunity to help in the community while having fun!
Speaking of fun, this run will take you through the gorgeous University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. In addition to the race, there will be live music and a Memorial Day tribute featured at this exciting event. Pre-registration is closed, but you can still register for the race starting at 6:30am the day of the run.
ATTEND A MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE
This Memorial Day, you can attend a ceremony on the South Steps of the Utah Capitol Building in honor of those who have served in the military. Governor Cox and U.S. Representative Blake Moore will be speaking at this event, and it will also feature a 21 gun salute by the Utah National Guard and a musical performance.
This ceremony will be presented by the Utah Department of Veterans & Military Affairs.
Want to make a day of it? Take a drive (or walk) down to Memory Grove Park before or after the service.
Volunteer for a Memorial Day Service Project
Memorial Day is a great opportunity to give back to your community and honor fallen soldiers. Many organizations host service projects on Memorial Day to clean up cemeteries, place flags on graves, and more.
One of the best ways to find out about volunteer opportunities is to contact your local VFW or American Legion. These two organizations can provide you with information on service -opportunities in your area.
Take Flowers to The Cemetery
An excellent tradition to participate in this Memorial Day is to take flowers to the cemetery. Many people celebrate Memorial Day to remember fallen soldiers, but it can also be used as a time to remember people you love who have passed as well.
This Memorial Day, you can bring some flowers to anyone you love who has passed away. This is a great opportunity to reminisce on memories with your family and friends while giving appreciation to those you love.
Spend Time with Family and Friends
Since Memorial Day is meant to remember those we love, who have sacrificed for us, what better way to celebrate them than by spending time with those we love who are still with us? Some ideas for activities you can enjoy with the people you love this weekend include barbequing, visiting Utah’s National Parks in Southern Utah, and hiking in the Wasatch Mountains.
hAVE A bARBEQUE
Hosting a barbeque is a classic Memorial Day event, but to make it more meaningful you can do a Memorial Day service project (such as writing letters to troops) in between bites of burgers and baked beans.
You could also participate in the virtual tour mentioned in the Hill Aerospace Museum section above. Free and educational entertainment about our fallen soldiers and their aircrafts, all while enjoying time with your family and friends? Count us in! Also, who doesn’t love airplanes?
Visit Utah’s National Parks
Getting outside as the weather is getting better is also an excellent activity. Here in Utah, we are lucky enough to have plenty of outdoor space to enjoy, including five National Parks.
A great one to visit during Memorial Day weekend is Zion National Park in Southern Utah. This National Park is located near St. George and features stunning rock formations with towering pines growing along its rivers.
There are many hikes and tours available at Zion National Park that you could enjoy with your friends and family throughout the weekend.
HIKE IN THE WASATCH MOUNTAINS
If St. George is too far of a drive for you this Memorial Day weekend, consider taking a trip to the Wasatch Mountains. This mountain range is right outside of Salt Lake City - a much quicker drive than Zion National Park!
The Wasatch Mountains are also a lot cooler temperature wise than Southern Utah since they are at a higher altitude. This is nice as the weather is getting warmer as we approach the summer months because the mountains maintain a breezy and comfortable atmosphere to enjoy on hotter days in the valley.
In addition, these mountains have an abundance of beautiful wild flowers and conifer trees. There are many hiking trails, in varying degrees of difficulty, that you can find directions to online.
HONOR MEMORIAL DAy
Memorial Day is an excellent opportunity to remember those you love who have sacrificed for this country, and it is a great day to give back to them for their tribute.
Whether you are visiting cemeteries, hiking in the mountains, or eating hamburgers with your family, we hope you have a wonderful and meaningful Memorial Day weekend!