Happiness Now: Memorial Day

Pennsylvania is home to many attractions and museums to honor our veterans for their service – and we can’t forget parades, parks and picnics! Spend Memorial Day celebrating our country and those who have served at one of these family-friendly attractions.

Come to the birthplace of Memorial Day! The Boalsburg Memorial Day celebrations will take place May 29, featuring food, music and craft vendors complete with two Civil War battle re-enactments at the historical Boal Mansion and Estate. Honor the soldiers of the past and present by visiting the Pennsylvania Military Museum.

This year, the Gettysburg Memorial Day Parade on May 29 celebrates its 150th year – making it one of the oldest Memorial Day Parades in the country. There is perhaps no better place to remember the sacrifice of Americans than in Gettysburg. Truly, every day is Memorial Day in Gettysburg as visitors from around the world see first-hand where thousands of soldiers lost their lives and helped establish the future of the nation. The parade itself features a variety of soldiers, military vehicles, bands, re-enactors and others to provide a full glimpse of our nation’s sacrifice through war.

Celebrate Memorial Day the old-fashioned way by watching one of Bucks County’s Memorial Day parades! These parades are held by Bensalem, Croydon, Doylestown, Falls Township, Newtown, Northampton, Warminster, Washington Crossing and Yardley! Grab a beach chair with your family and friends, and head out to watch one of these timeless Bucks County attractions while honoring those who served our country.

There’s no better place to honor our solders than the U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center (USAHEC)! The USAHEC is dedicated to educating visitors about the culture and experiences of American soldiers. Learn and explore the interactive Soldier Experience Gallery, where you can journey through the life of a soldier and simulate actual battle skills. Outside, there is a one-mile Army Heritage Trail filled with tanks, bunkers, Civil War cabins and helicopters. In May, USAHEC holds Army Heritage Days with hundreds of re-enactors. This year the event will focus on tanks and armored vehicles.

Spend your Memorial Day at the historic Conneaut Lake Park. The park opened in 1892 as Exposition Park, and is located on the west side of Conneaut Lake in Western Pennsylvania. This gem will take you back in time as you ride the old roller coaster, or have a picnic along the beach with views of Conneaut Lake.

For the less traditional…

Longwood Gardens’ Main Fountain Garden debuts Memorial Day weekend! Situated on 1,050 acres, Longwood features 20 indoor gardens as well as 20 outdoor gardens, a breathtaking conservatory and architectural grandeur. Longwood Gardens is also home to the most significant fountain collection in the United States. The crown jewel of that collection, the Main Fountain Garden, will debut on Memorial Day weekend after an extensive two-year, $90 million revitalization. The amazing fountains will feature 1,719 jets rising as high as 175 feet. A Summer of Spectacle begins May 27 with the first Fireworks & Fountains Show premiering May 28.

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