Six ways to spend Memorial Day in the Twin Cities

Check out a band by the lake, visit Lakewood Cemetery and more.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
May 23, 2024 at 1:02PM
A Memorial Day service was held in Minneapolis at Lakewood Cemetery near the Soldiers Memorial monument on Monday morning May 28,2012. Melanie Hall of Minneapolis stayed cool under an umbrella with her 17 year old daughter Maura Hall-Ford by her side during the Memorial day service.
A Memorial Day service was held in Minneapolis at Lakewood Cemetery near the Soldiers Memorial monument on May 28, 2012. (Richard Sennott/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Staying in town this Memorial Day? Here are six events around the Twin Cities, most of them honoring veterans, to check out after your walk around the lake.

Spectate or participate in a vintage car show at Blacksmith Lounge, a neighborhood joint 30 minutes north of the Twin Cities known for its car events. Memorial flag-raising at noon.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m., $10 per show car, free to spectators.

17205 Forest Blvd. N., Hugo

Historic Fort Snelling will host Decoration Day with Brooklyn Big Band performances at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Includes plane fly-over and military demonstrations modeled off World War II.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is regular park admission, adults $12, children $8, children under 5, free.

200 Tower Av., St. Paul

Local musicians play “Taps” to honor those who have died in military service at locations around the Twin Cities.

3 p.m. Free.

Multiple locations across the Twin Cities, find yours.

Local cover bands kick off Minneapolis’ Music in the Parks series at Lake Harriet Bandshell. Anti-Skip Protection (a 1990s and 2000s cover band) plays at 5:30 p.m. and the Belfast Cowboys (a mostly Van Morrison cover band) at 7:30. Free.

Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy., Minneapolis

Watch Memorial Day activities on Lake Harriet from the moving vantage of a historic streetcar. The line runs to Lakewood Cemetery’s old streetcar entrance only on Memorial Day.

9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. $2.50 per fare

2330 W. 42nd St., Minneapolis

High school student reporter Siri Pattison contributed to this story.

about the writer

about the writer

Zoë Jackson

Reporter

Zoë Jackson is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune. She previously covered race and equity, St. Paul neighborhoods and young voters on the politics team.

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