Sarasota's 5 Things To Know: Memorial Day Parade Monday

1. Monday's a great day for a parade.

Sarasota's annual Memorial Day parade will be downtown at 10 a.m. Monday, May 28. Parade starts at Main Street and Osprey Avenue and ends on Main Street at Gulfstream Avenue. A ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park. 

The City of Sarasota is looking for veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom to be the first civilian unit in the parade.

Parade organizers would like to pay special tribute this year to the heroic men and women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  If you can help locate Iraq and Afghanistan veterans please contact Jerry Derrick with the Sarasota Patriotic Observance Committee and arrangements will be made: 941-861-2899.

2. When it comes to Sarasota, we’ve got questions — you’ve got the answers. Join our Patch Engagement Council to share your neighborhood perspective and enter to win $500! Share your feedback on by becoming a part of new user panel!

3. Congrats to Patch blogger Candice McElyea whose husband is a semi-finalist in the NBC iVillage "Hottest Dad" contest. You may know him at Lt. Kevin McElyea with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. They need your votes to move to the next round!  Vote for Sarasota's Hotest Dad today early and often.

The grand prize winner will be revealed on June 12 on NBC's Today show and will receive a week-long Royal Caribbean cruise for four! The category winners will all receive $300 Target or Target.com gift cards, too.

4. The City of Sarasota will host its first-ever Parking Advisory Committee meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 30 in Room 112 at City Hall. The committee will discuss its function, choose officers and have a guest speaker. 

5. Make sure to turn into PBS station WEDU at 9:30 p.m.Thursday, May 31 to watch "Siesta Awakenings," which is the final of a five-part series Diamonds Along The Highway, which takes a look at Florida history.