Commemorate Memorial Day in Atlanta

Each Memorial Day is an opportunity to honor and remember those who have given their lives serving in the U.S. armed forces.

Several events in the area will provide commemorative opportunities. Dave Ross, Tech’s director of the Veteran’s Resource Center, suggests a few.

• Stone Mountain Park: The park will hold a weekend of activities, including four nights of the Lasershow Spectacular. The new show features drones and fire effects. The park is offering discounts for active and retired military personnel.
• Marietta Memorial Day: The National Memorial Day Association of Georgia hosts its annual event at the Marietta Memorial Cemetery. The ceremony will include music, salutes, and guest speakers.
• Roswell Remembers: The City of Roswell hosts what's billed as the largest celebration in Georgia at the Roswell City Hall. 
• City of Smyrna: The Smyrna ceremony takes place at the 20th Century Veterans Memorial, adjacent to Smyrna City Hall.

With the Georgia Tech campus closed on Memorial Day, the three-day weekend also leaves a chance for extra time for leisure and entertainment. A few local events where you can make the most of the long weekend include:

• Patriotic Celebration Concert: Continue commemorating Memorial Day with a free patriotic concert by Peachtree Symphonic Winds in Norcross.
• For the Fallen: The Callanwolde Concert Band will present a Memorial Day concert in Decatur.
• Atlanta Braves Military Appreciation Day: The Braves will host the San Francisco Giants on Monday, May 30, and are offering special ticket packages for the holiday.
• Decatur Arts Festival: This festival takes place in downtown Decatur throughout the weekend and includes visual art, live music, comedy, an artist market, and a lantern parade.
• Atlanta Jazz Festival: This is one of the largest free jazz festivals in the U.S. and will feature live music all weekend at Piedmont Park.  
• MomoCon: Billed as welcoming "all kinds of geeks" — and started by Georgia Tech's anime club — this anime and gaming convention takes place downtown all weekend.
• Brew at the Zoo: For those of legal drinking age, this event lets you partake in adult beverages while hanging out with Atlanta’s wildest residents. (The music lineup features Georgia Tech’s famous “genetically engineered rock band” Leucine Zipper and the Zinc Fingers.)