Memorial Day weekend festivities begin on Friday with students at the Edgartown, Tisbury and Chilmark schools participating in the annual March to the Sea ceremonies. Tisbury students leave school at 12:30 p.m. and walk to Owen Park beach, Edgartown students leave school at 1 p.m. and walk to Memorial Wharf, and Chilmark students are bussed at 9 a.m. to Menemsha Beach to place flowers in the water to remember fallen veterans.

All are welcome to join the events.

Then after a weekend filled with family, fun, road races, barbecues and beach time, start the Monday tradition early at the Avenue of the Flags ceremony at Oak Grove Cemetery which begins at 7 a.m. Flags remain up until 3 p.m.

The parade steps off at 10 a.m. on Monday, beginning at the American Legion Hall, 34 William street in Vineyard Haven, with the route ending at the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Afterwards, head to the annual Memorial Day picnic at the Tisbury Waterworks. It’s a bring your own food, with music by the Flying Elbows, and rowboats, grills and ice cream provided from noon to 4 p.m. Hot dogs are welcome but not real dogs.