Memorial Day holiday roundup

May 26—Here are some facts, schedules and other information you might want to know for the 2022 Memorial Day holiday:

Weather forecast

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer and the holiday weekend will bring summer-like conditions. Saturday will be in the upper 70s with cloudy skies. There is a chance of thunderstorms both Sunday and Monday. Highs will be in the lower 80s on Sunday and upper 80s on Memorial Day.

Parades/ceremonies

—The Memorial Day parade, sponsored by Charter Bank of Eau Claire, begins at 9:30 a.m. Monday. The parade will follow its traditional route, starting at Wilson Park on Barstow Street, continuing on Lake Street and ending on First Avenue at Owen Park at the UW-Eau Claire parking lot.

Bands from North, Memorial and Regis high schools, and South, DeLong and Northstar middle schools, will perform in the parade.

A Memorial Day program will be held after the parade at the Boyd Band Shell in Owen Park. U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, will be the featured speaker. Music will be provided by the North High School band.

The parade and program will still be held in case of light rain. But heavy rain or the presence of thunder and lightning will cancel the events.

Memorial and decoration ceremonies will be Saturday at 10:30 and 11 a.m., respectively, at Lakeview and Forest Hill cemeteries.

A worship service will be Sunday at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 1915 Hogeboom Ave. Veterans organizations may line up at 8:30 a.m. Worship is at 9 a.m. An outdoor program will follow the worship service.

The events are sponsored by the Eau Claire Patriotic Council.

—The Menomonie Patriotic Council will hold a Memorial Day ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Evergreen Cemetery near Lake Menomin in Menomonie. The guest speaker will be Kevin McGrath of the U.S. Army. Because of the length of the program, spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. The road to the cemetery closes at 9:30 a.m. and stays closed through the ceremony. In case of heavy rain, services will be moved to the Kyote's Den, E2339 Highway 29, which is three miles west of Menomonie on Highway 29.

Other Dunn County Memorial Day programs on Monday will be at 7:45 a.m. at Hay River Cemetery, 8:30 a.m. at Zion Cemetery, 9:15 a.m. at New Haven Cemetery, 9:45 a.m. at Connorsville Lutheran Cemetery, 10:15 a.m. at Chimney Rock, 11 a.m. at Hay River Town Hall, 11:30 a.m. at Wheeler Cemetery, 1 p.m. at Lucas Cemetery and 3 p.m. at Potters Field in Menomonie.

—The Chippewa Falls Memorial Day parade will be held for the first time since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The parade begins at 10:15 a.m. at the corner of Bridge and Willow streets and proceeds north along Bridge Street to Elm Street, and then north via Bridgewater Street to Irvine Park. Veterans are encouraged to march in the parade.

The Memorial Day program follows the parade at the Irvine Park band stand at 11 a.m.

In another Chippewa County event, a Memorial Day program will be at 9 a.m. at Prairie View Cemetery in Lake Hallie.

—A legacy stone dedication will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the Chippewa Valley Veterans Tribute at River Prairie Park in Altoona.

—The Liberty Bell will ring at 3 p.m. for the National Moment of Remembrance, marking the beginning of the Memorial Day Ceremony at The Highground, a veterans memorial mark about four miles west of Neillsville on U.S. 10. Army National Guard veteran David Carlson, founder of C.C. We Adapt in Eau Claire, will be the guest speaker.

—The Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery near Spooner will host a Memorial Day ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Travel

Several construction projects in west-central Wisconsin could inconvenience travelers during the Memorial Day weekend:

—In Barron County, northbound U.S. 53 is reduced to a single lane between Highway M and Carlson Road, just south of Highway A to Knapp Street and just south of 20th Street to U.S. 8. Motorists will encounter a reduced speed limit of 60 mph in the work zones.

—Highway 48 is reduced to one lane with temporary traffic signals at the Hay River Flowage in Cumberland.

—Highway 29 is reduced to a single lane between Highway J in Chippewa Falls and Highway 27 in Cadott. The eastbound Highway 29 exit ramp is closed at Cardinal Avenue in Clark County.

—Highway 73 is reduced to one lane with temporary traffic signals at the Giles Creek Bridge north of Greenwood.

—U.S. 12 is open using a one-lane, temporary bypass at the Wilson Creek Bridge west of Knapp.

—Highway 312 is reduced to one lane in each direction in the Jeffers Road work zone in Eau Claire.

—Highway 35/54 traffic over the east and west channels of the Trempealeau River is using temporary roadway and bridges during the bridge replacement. The work zone speed limit is reduced to 30 mph.

—The Highway 54 bridge over Beaver Creek is open to a single lane with temporary traffic signals in Trempealeau County.

For Wisconsin road construction conditions, call 511 or check the state Department of Transportation's website at 511wi.gov.

Motorists will be paying much higher gas prices compared to Memorial Day 2021. The American Automobile Association of Wisconsin said the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded gas in the state is $4.34, which is 49 cents higher than a month ago and $1.49 more than last Memorial Day. AAA says gas prices for Memorial Day are likely to be the highest on record.

AAA says Memorial Day weekend is expected to be the busiest in three years, building on a travel resurgence that began earlier this spring. This year's forecast marks the second highest single-year increase in travelers since 2010, bringing volumes in line with pre-pandemic levels. AAA predicts nearly 741,000 Wisconsinites will travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend, a 7.4% increase over 2021.

Government offices

Government offices in Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Altoona and Menomonie are closed Memorial Day.

Also closed Monday are: Chippewa Falls Public Library, 105 W. Central St.; Menomonie Public Library, 600 Wolske Bay Road; and L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, 2725 Mall Drive.

Garbage pickup

Garbage pickup in Altoona, Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire will be pushed back one day next week.

Financial institutions

Financial institutions with personal service will be closed Memorial Day.

Train rides

The Chippewa Valley Railroad Association begins its miniature train rides in Carson Park on Memorial Day. The rides are available from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children. Children under age 3 are admitted free. The miniature train rides will continue on Sundays through Sept. 4, and on the Fourth of July and Labor Day.

Sports

WEAU-TV (Channel 13) will carry the Indianapolis 500 beginning at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. WEUX-TV (Channel 48) will air the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 race at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Eau Claire Express opens its 2022 season by hosting the La Crosse Loggers at 7:05 p.m. Monday at Carson Park.