Events are planned throughout the territory to celebrate Memorial Day and pay tribute to those who have served the United States in uniform, according to a news release from the V.I. National Guard.
Saturday
St. Croix – The Virgin Islands National Guard’s 73rd Army Band, joined by students from the Educational Complex band, will present a Memorial Day Community Concert in the Sunny Isles Shopping Center Amphitheater from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday
• Virgin Islands National Guardsmen and friends will conduct their annual Lt. Col. David Canegata III Cross-country Ride in honor of their fallen comrade, who was an avid cyclist. Guardsmen will assemble at the Lt. Col. Lionel Jackson Readiness Center in Estate Bethlehem at 6 a.m. and depart at 6:30 a.m. to join Encarnacion/Gladfelter Memorial Group Riders at 7 a.m. at Buddhoe Park in Frederiksted. The course is through the Mahogany Road, Grove Place, over The Beast, along the north shore to Christiansted and back.
• American Legion District 10 will present a pre-Memorial Day Concert to increase awareness and respect for the sacrifices by fallen service men and women. The Big Band of St. Croix will perform from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Verne Richards Veterans Memorial Park on the Frederiksted waterfront.
• The Veterans Family Fun Day will begin at 1 p.m. at Griffith Park on St. Thomas.
Monday, Memorial Day
• V.I. Pace Runners hosts its 28th Annual Memorial Day 2-Mile Road Race at 6 a.m. from Beeston Hill to Christiansted in memory of men and women who died in military service. It also honors Andrew Edwards, a Pace Runner, who founded Finmen Ocean Swimmers & V.I. Triathlon Federation.
• Memorial Day parades start at 9:30 a.m. in both districts. On St. Croix, the American Legion Enrique Romero Nieves Post No. 102 will host Memorial Day ceremonies in Frederiksted from the post office to the cemetery and to the bandstand in Budhoe Park for a Salute to Departed Comrades. The keynote speaker is Comrade Richard Schrader Sr. of American Legion Post No. 133.
• On St. Thomas, the Office of Veterans Affairs and American Legion Post 90 will host activities graveside at the Western Cemetery and march down Main Street for the Memorial Day Commemoration Program at Veterans Park. The keynote speaker is Maj. Sandra Benjamin, VING Survivor Outreach Services Coordinator.
• As a finale, a Memorial Day Special will air at 7 p.m. Monday on CBS-TV2 Monday. The broadcast will honor Virgin Islanders such as VING’s Lt. Col. David Canegata III and SFC Floyd Lake, Sr.
