Memorial Day Celebrations in Nashville, Tennessee: Honoring the Fallen

Having lived for five years in Washington, D.C., Memorial Day celebrations in Nashville are somewhat limited compared to many other U.S. cities. However, there are quite a few ways to celebrate Memorial Day in Nashville, so let's take a look at some of the ways Nashvillians will be celebrating Memorial Day this year.

Traditional Memorial Day Celebrations in Nashville

My family used to spend the day on our grandparents' farm, cooking out, climbing grape vines, swinging over streams, and running amok in the fields. People in Nashville like to take to the country: farms, parks and pools for Memorial Day. It is common to find parking lots full at places like Edwin Warner State Park, Percy Priest Lake, and other outdoor attractions. While most of the local Metro Swimming Pools don't open for another week or two, several water parks will be open on Memorial Weekend including Wave Country, Nashville Shores, and Tie Breaker. Picnics, cook outs, a day at the pool - spending time with family and friends - these are the traditional Memorial Day celebrations in Nashville.

Also, some of the city's cemeteries offer special Memorial Day ceremonies for those who have fallen in war, so some Nashville families make a trip to their local cemetery to put a flag on the grave of their military loved one. Many of Nashville's cemeteries are decorated with American Flags by local Boy Scout Troops. Although not quite on the scale of the National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., it is still a moving sight and a great way to honor our fallen veterans. Several participating cemeteries include: Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery, Nashville National Cemetery, and Stones River National Cemetery in Murfreesboro and other cemeteries also have special ceremonies for Memorial Day.

Weekend Memorial Day Festivals and Celebrations in Nashville

Nashville does have a few bigger events planned for Memorial Day in 2009 for those looking for more of a festival atmosphere or large Memorial Day event.

Memorial Day Salute to Freedom at Nashville Shores Water Park -This three day event is the largest Memorial Day celebration in the Middle Tennessee. Nashville Shores is a waterpark on Percy Priest Lake in Nashville. The Salute to Freedom festivities typically begin on the Saturday before Memorial Day and run through Memorial Day Monday. Some of the annual highlights of the Salute to Freedom include the All Veterans Reunion Dinner, a concert on the beach, hot air balloon rides, and a big fireworks display. Admission to the water park is usually free after 5 P.M. on Sunday, and military veterans, active duty and military families are eligible for discount tickets to Nashville Shores all weekend.

Memorial Day Weekend Celebration! at Opryland - Opryland hosts another three-day celebration of music, concerts, speakers and activities. This event begins on Friday before Memorial and runs through Sunday, so this year the Memorial Day Weekend Celebration! 2009: A Southern Gospel Festivalruns May 22-May 24, 2009 at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Celebration! 2009 is being billed as "a relaxing, rejuvenating time of fellowship for the whole family." The weekend features Southern Gospel music, comedy and inspirational speaking. Performers and speakers include male quintet Legacy Five, as well as Ken Davis, Jimmy Travis, The Isaacs, Marc Bishop, The Voices of Lee and Rev. Junior Hill. Tickets start at $289 and include 2-night room accommodations at Gaylord Opryland Resort; reserved seating to four concert events; breakfast buffet on one morning; ticket to the Grand Ole Opry; and a Gaylord Opryland VIP Coupon Book. For more info on the Memorial Day Weekend Celebration! at Opryland, phone: (877) 222-OPRY.

Tennessee Renaissance Festival at Castle Gwynn- For those wanting something a little different, Tennessee's annual Renaissance Festival is open the first four weekends in May every year and on Memorial Day. While the Tennessee Renaissance Festival has little to do with traditional Memorial Day celebrations, it is a fun way to spend the day, and who's to say some of your ancestors did not participate in jousts and the Crusades? Celebrating Memorial Day at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival can shine an entirely new light on honoring the victims of war. The Tennessee Renaissance Festival offers visitors the opportunity to experience period entertainment, music, costumes, and jousting at Castle Gwynn, located in Arrington/Triune. Military personnel are eligible for a special discount on Memorial Day admission. See my photos at Tennessee Renaissance Festival 2009.

However, you chose to celebrate Memorial Day, spend a moment or two thinking about the brave military men and women who have died in America's service.