Memorial Day weekend: rain, veterans’ celebrations on tap

Will you head to the hills or stay at home? Are you looking for this year’s Memorial Day services? Here are some ideas to help you plan for your three days off.

Weather

Temperatures are predicted to be lower than normal for this time of year, and the mountains will see some showers, according to Tim Barker, meteorologist for the National Weather Service. But, overall, the predictions look pretty good for a three-day weekend. Temperatures are expected to be about 5 to 10 degrees below normal through Monday which means the highs in the Treasure Valley are going to be in the low to mid-70s. The highest chance of rain will be Sunday, with on-and-off showers. Monday is expected to be windy, Barker said. If you’re going camping in the mountains, pack warm gear because the lows could get down into the 30s, according to the National Weather Service.

Celebrate veterans

▪  Boise Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedication, noon, Veterans Memorial Park, 930 Veterans Memorial Parkway. [Story: Boise gets its first monument to Idaho’s sacrifices in Vietnam]

▪  Civil War Volunteers group will conduct its annual Civil War flag-raising ceremony, eulogy and gun salute, noon, at the Silent Camp at the Veterans Monument in Morris Hill Cemetery, 317 N. Latah. The ceremony will be repeated at 1:15 p.m. in the Fort Boise Military Reserve Cemetery, 1101 Mountain Cove Road.

▪  The city of Meridian will host a ceremony, 11 a.m. at the Rock of Veterans Memorial in Kleiner Park, 1900 N. Records Ave.

▪  The city of Nampa will host a ceremony, 10 a.m. at the Veteran’s Loop of Kohlerlawn Cemetery, 76 6th St. N. Nampa. In addition, retired railroad police officer Bill Dean will lead walking tours of the graves of prominent citizens at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., starting at Veteran’s Loop.

[Story: Idaho National Guard honors those who have served, died.]

Camping

We all have our favorite spots to retreat under the stars. The Statesman’s staff is even willing to share some of our prize getaways. Take a look at these camping spots if you need ideas on where to go.

Hiking

Want to take to the hills this three-day weekend? You could summit Cervidae, which at 4,987 feet is the shortest of Boise's Grand Slam peaks. It’s a short drive out of Boise on Highway 21 with beautiful views and a cardio-packed climb.

Break out the grill

It’s a great time to try out some new grilling recipes. We have a yummy idea on what to do with that tri-tip.

Music

Miss Merle Haggard? We do too. Listen to a tribute to Haggard and Buck Owens at the Sapphire Room Friday night. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets will run you $18 to $25.

Or you can head to Lucky Peak State Park to catch “Songwriters in our Parks” led by Steve Eaton with Joe Klein and Randy Singer 2 to 5 p.m. Monday. That’ll run you $15 for adults and free for children under 16.

Leon Bridges is playing Memorial Stadium 7 p.m. on Memorial day. General admission is $29.50.

Pools

It’s still early for the city of Boise’s outdoor public pools. (They don’t open until June 2.) But you can take on Roaring Springs, which is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday through Monday.

Saturday markets

So, sure, our many local markets are open every Saturday, but maybe this is the weekend you can take time to meander through them for food, produce and gifts. The Boise Farmers Market, on 10th and Grove streets, is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Capital City Public Market, on 8th Street between Main and State streets, is open from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The Eagle Saturday Market in Heritage Park runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. There are even more markets to choose from.

This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 7:25 AM with the headline "Memorial Day weekend: rain, veterans’ celebrations on tap."