Get out there and play
This weekend, take time to celebrate our country’s service men and women and the freedom they fight for. The Memorial Day holiday, originally known as Decoration Day, was started to recognize Union soldiers who perished during the Civil War. According to Wikipedia.org, the holiday was altered after World War I to include service men and women who died during any war or military action. Celebrate our fallen soldiers by going to a parade to salute our troops or attend an event that will give your family insight into the holiday.
Nothing signals the kick off of summer better than a patriotic grand parade. Meet at the eternal flame in Daley Plaza, Dearborn and Washington streets, Chicago, on Saturday to watch the annual Wreath Laying Ceremony at 11 a.m. After the ceremony, the Chicago Memorial Day Parade will begin at noon and proceed south on State Street from Wacker Drive to Van Buren Street. The parade will feature several high school marching bands and Drum and Bugle Corps as well as veterans groups and military personnel. For more information, call (312) 744-3370 or visit www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents.
If your family is interested in learning more about Memorial Day history, visit Memorial Day Remembered on Monday at 1:30 p.m. at Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. Step back into the 1890s and see period reenactments of Decoration Day celebrations. The reenactment ceremony will include music from the Civil War era as well as speeches and poems. The highlight of the festivities will be a Civil War funeral reenactment. Beforehand, kids will be able to make paper flowers to put on the coffin during the service. Learn about the history of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Civil War veterans organization that fought for veterans’ rights, in the farm’s visitor center. If the weather is nice, bring a picnic. This event is free and the farm will be open until 5 p.m. For more information, call (630) 876-5900 or visit www.dupageforest.com.
If your kids are curious about what it’s like to be a soldier, you’re likely to find answers at the“Salute Your Troops” exhibit at the Exploration Station, 459 N. Kennedy Drive, Bourbonnais. The exhibit is open through May 31 during regular museum hours. The exhibit explores several time periods in the history of the armed forces. Stop in and see the different sleeping quarters and pretend you’re a soldier by wearing their uniforms and eating their food. The goal of the exhibit is to help children understand why we celebrate our troops during Memorial Day. For more information, call (815) 933-9905 or visit www.exploration-station.org.
Photo courtesy of the Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events.
Get your prize pack here
During the month of May, five Chicago Parent readers will win a family pack each week to visit“The Glass Experience” exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, as well as general admission to the museum and an MSI hat. For more information on“The Glass Experience,” visit www.msichicago.org. Each week, we’ll post a different question to answer. For this week’s chance to win visit our discussion board, then e-mail your answer, name and your Chicago Parent ID to e-dition@chicagoparent.com. You must post and e-mail us for your answer to be counted. We will not release your information-it is purely for contact purposes. Winners will be chosen at random and may have no affiliation with Wednesday Journal Inc. or its employees.
Piece of the prize
This week, five lucky Chicago Parent readers will win“Sesame Street: Dinosaurs!” and“Sesame Street: Love the Earth!” on DVD. To win visit our discussion board, then e-mail your answer, name and your Chicago Parent ID to e-dition@chicagoparent.com. You must post and e-mail us for your answer to be counted. We will not release your information-it is purely for contact purposes. Winners will be chosen at random and may have no affiliation with Wednesday Journal Inc. or its employees.
