Join the fun Memorial Day weekend as we salute our military heroes – the men and women who serve our country at The Patriot
Festival, Saturday, May 23, 11:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. at Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall. Experience an activity-filled day with your friends and family with live music, children’s’ fun area, military vehicles, fire trucks and special military maneuvers scheduled throughout the day. Enjoy seeing representatives from all branches of the military, humvees, Special Operations Forces and Honor Guard. There will be live bands, food and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Attendees are invited to wear red, white and blue to show their support and to shake hands and thank our military heroes in person. Enjoy seeing representatives from all branches of the military, humvees, paratroopers, flyovers, the 82nd Airborne Chorus and Honor Guard. All this 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. Join the fun for a $5 ticket donation. Children 5 and under are free. At 6:00 p.m., 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. Media partners for The Patriot Festival are WBT Radio, WSOC-TV, Charlotte Living Magazine and Creative Loafing. Al Gardner and Charles Jenkin of WBT radio’s “Charlotte’s Morning News” will serve as emcees for the festivities. WSOC-TV co-anchors Debi Faubion and Natalie Pasquarella will also serve as emcees during the Festival. Sir Purr, the official mascot of the Carolina Panthers, will be there from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. for photographs at the WBT radio booth and to mingle with the crowd.
Bands scheduled to play throughout the afternoon include Phil Harmonic and the Blue Notes, Thom Crumpton with WIZDOM, Too Much Sylvia and military bands.