Park
Charlotte -- Join the fun Memorial Day weekend as we salute our military
heroes - the men and women who serve our country. Experience an
activity-filled day, Saturday, May 23 from 11 am - 7 pm, with your
friends
and family with live music, kid fun area, military vehicles, fire
trucks and
special military maneuvers scheduled throughout the day. It's all at
Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall.
The Patriotic Parachute Team will perform at 2pm. Rufus, the official
mascot
of the Charlotte Bobcats, and Sir Purr, the official mascot of the
Carolina
Panthers, will be there for photos. Former NFL Carolina Panthers
defensive
end Mike Rucker will be there signing autographs. Enjoy seeing
representatives from all branches of the military, humvees, military
bands
and Honor Guard.
A special ceremony honoring nine* Congressional Medal of Honor
recipients
will begin the day's festivities with Congresswoman Sue Myrick. Mayor
Pat
McCrory will give a tribute to our Fallen Angels from the Carolinas
who have
given their lives serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, followed by a 21-gun
salute and taps at the end of the day's activities. All combined with
live
bands, food and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Shake hands
and
thank our military heroes in person. Wear your patriotism on your
sleeve and
show your support.
Bands scheduled to play are Thom Crumpton with WIZDOM, Too Much
Sylvia, Phil
Harmonic and the Blue Notes, Howl at the Moon dueling pianos and
military
bands.
Spend the day and buy lunch or dinner from Picnic People Western
Carolinas.
The menu includes quarter-pound cheeseburgers, Carolina pulled pork
sandwiches, veggie burgers and jumbo all-beef hot dogs. Beer and wine
will
be available, along with sodas, and so will cotton candy for the kids.
Tickets are $5.00. Children 5 and under are free. Tickets available on
line
at www.patriotgala.com and at the gate.
The Patriot Festival is the sister event to Charlotte's premier black-
tie
event, the Patriot Gala, which will be held Saturday, November 7, 2009
at
Quail Hollow and features Bob Woodruff of ABC News.
Money raised at the Patriot Festival goes to support these charities -
Fisher House Foundation, America Legion Unit 270 Angels in Iraq and
Angels
of Mercy, Hope for the Warriors, USO of Charlotte, North Carolina,
Wounded
Warrior Project and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
*The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an
enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the
Armed
Services of the United States. Generally presented to its recipient by
the
President of the United States of America in the name of Congress, it is
often called the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the history of the
Medal
there have been 3,447 recipients of which 97 are alive today. The eight
Congressional Medal of Honor recipients scheduled to appear include John
Baker, Joe Marm, Rudi Hernandez, Bob Howard, Gary Littrell, Hector
Cafferata, Charles Murray, Len Keller and Robert Patterson. For more
details
on these honorees, visit www.cmohs.org.
For more information on the Patriot Festival, please contact Debbie
Williams, 704/846-8960.
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