What's Open, Closed On Memorial Day In New York City

NEW YORK, NY — Memorial Day isn't just an occasion for cookouts and summertime celebrations. For decades it's given Americans a chance to honor members of the military who died serving the country.

New Yorkers will do just that with several parades, including the nation's largest in northeast Queens. The Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade will mark its 81st anniversary this year, led by U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William H. Seely III as grand marshal.

Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr., the superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, will be the grand marshal of Brooklyn's Memorial Day Parade in Bay Ridge, which is in its 151st year.

Memorial Day also marks the unofficial start of summer, and many New Yorkers take the chance to get away for the long weekend. Many offices will be closed and the transit schedule will be different than usual.

Here's a look at what's open and closed for Memorial Day in New York City.

Government Buildings

• New York City public schools are closed.
• City, state and federal government buildings, including courts and post offices, are closed.
• Mail will not be delivered.
• Most banks will be closed.
• Libraries will be closed. New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library branches will be closed Saturday through Monday.

Transportation

• New York City subways, buses and the Staten Island Railway will run on a Sunday schedule.
• The Long Island Rail Road will run eight extra trains from Penn Station on Friday, May 25. Memorial Day weekend also marks the start of Cannonball express service from Manhattan to Westhampton. The Cannonball will depart Penn Station at 4:06 p.m. Friday.
• The Metro-North Railroad will add 17 trains from Grand Central Terminal on Friday between about 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Evening peak service will be trimmed to account for reduced evening ridership.

Parking

• Alternate side parking rules will be suspended.

Trash pickup

• Garbage, recycling and organics collection will not occur on Monday, May 28. There will also be no street cleaning.
• Residents whose usual garbage or organics pickup day is Monday should put their trash out after 4 p.m. on Memorial Day.
• If Monday is your normal recycling pickup day, put your recycling out after 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 3 for pickup on Monday, June 4.

(Lead image: Photo from Shutterstock.com)