UNION CITY, TN– Discovery Park of America’s Education Department will bring history to life as they invite you to attend Military Living History on the Great Lawn Memorial Weekend.
This Memorial weekend event will pay tribute to the people who have fought in WWII, the Korean and Vietnam wars.The three days of Military Living History, May 26 -28, will occur on the Great Lawn during regular park hours, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day.
Guests will experience the sights and sounds of these historical conflicts as well as at least one weapon demonstration daily. The weekend is being sponsored by Union City Coca Cola, with Baptist Memorial Hospital sponsoring the Memorial Day activities. (A partial display will be available on Friday, with no weapon firings.)
According to CEO Jim Rippy, all veterans, military and their dependents will be admitted free on Monday, May 30th, Memorial Day, with all other guests paying just $10 for a ticket that day. (Ages three and under are free.)
The park, which is usually closed on Mondays, will open regular hours on Memorial Day. Wrapping up the weekend, there will be a special ceremony on Monday, May 28th at 2 p.m. in the Memorial Garden in Freedom Square. The Memorial Service will include the Presentation of the Colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem and special guest speakers and a recognition of all visiting Veterans. A 21-gun salute with a live playing of TAPS and the Retiring of the Colors will conclude the event. All Veterans and their families, plus all Discovery Park members and guests with paid admission are invited to attend the ceremony.
Organizer Andrew Gibson, Assistant Education Director at Discovery Park, encourages everyone to mark their calendar and plan to come out at least one of the three days and talk with these historians. “They are truly experts and can answer almost any question you throw at them about the wars,” he said. As a special treat, an actual Sherman Tank will be on display throughout the weekend.
The historians will set up camp on the great lawn, and Saturday, May 26th will be highlighted with weapons demonstrations at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m… On Sunday, May 27th there will be a non-denominational Field Worship Service at 11 a.m., with a firing demonstration at 2 p.m. Then, on Memorial Day, there will be a firing demonstration on the Great Lawn at 11 a.m., and at 2 p.m., a special service honoring our veterans and military will complete the scheduled activities.
The 2 p.m. ceremony will take place in Freedom Square on the South side of Discovery Park’s grounds. All weekend long, guests are invited to visit with the historians, view their exhibits and learn about what life was like for the soldiers during these major historical conflicts.
Additional highlights during Memorial weekend at the park include a Cardboard Boat Regatta in the South Lake on Saturday, May 26th at 11 a.m. There will also be live music Thursday evening from 5:30 until 9:00 at the Libation Station train bar, which is free to the public. And on Monday, bounce houses will be up near the Children’s Garden for the pleasure of our younger guests.
Discovery Park is located at 830 Everett Blvd. in Union City, TN. You can see the 2018 Calendar of Events, including upcoming educational and entertaining events, by visiting the website at www.discoveryparkofamerica.com . The park is open Tuesdays through Sundays, Memorial Day, Labor Day and the 4th of July, from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and is a unique blend of history, science, architecture, art and fun.
Photo: Katie Jarvis, who works in Marketing at Discovery Park of America, captured this heartwarming photo during Military Living History a few years ago at the park.
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