What to do for the Memorial Day weekend in the Midlands

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. And, wow, there are plenty of things to do in the Midlands this long holiday weekend. Here are a few, including ways to honor veterans.

GO JUMP IN A POOL. Two of the city’s public pools open Saturday for the summer. The outdoor pools at Maxcy Gregg Park, at 1655 Park Circle, and Greenview Park, 6700 David St., will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The just-remodeled Greenview pool features a kiddie pool, a water slide and a six-lane lap pool. The city’s indoor pool at the Drew Wellness Center will open on Saturday, June 4. Richland County’s pools also open June 4.

GO JUMP IN A LAKE. Recreation sites and the SCE&G beach at Lake Murray are open Saturday through Memorial Day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., for swimming and picnicking. Don’t bring alcohol or your pets. And there are no lifeguards, so swim at your own risk.

REMEMBER A SOLDIER. Fort Jackson National Cemetery will honor members of the armed services killed in wars at 9 a.m. Monday at the flag plaza. Fort Jackson commander Maj. Gen. Roger L. Cloutier is the keynote speaker. In Hopkins, The Moving Wall Memorial, one of two traveling replicas in town of the National Vietnam Memorial (the other is in Blythewood) opens. The Moving Wall will be on display Monday on the grounds of the Historic Harriet Barber House, 116 Barberville Loop. From 1-4:30 p.m., there will be a wreath laying, a veterans’ salute and musical entertainment. Harbison will host the 16th Annual Piney Grove Cemetery Memorial Day Service. A group of African-American veterans host the 10 a.m. service and will place wreaths on graves at the cemetery, at 433 Piney Woods Road. Also scheduled: a discussion on World War I people and places.

VISIT THE COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART. Engage your mind and enrich your spirit during the museum’s Free Sundays, sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. From noon-5 p.m., 1515 Main St.

HEAR THE PALMETTO CONCERT BAND. The Palmetto Concert Band is made up of professional and semiprofessional musicians from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia and includes a large number of USC School of Music alumni. More than half of its members are band directors in public schools. They play at 4 p.m. Monday the Koger Center for the Arts, and it’s free.

GO SEE A SEAL. Riverbanks Zoo’s slippery new tenants made their public debut Thursday. Sea Lion Landing, a 250,000-gallon saltwater habitat, is home to four sea lions and one harbor seal and opened to the public two weeks early. The zoo is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday.

VISIT EDDIE. At 40 feet tall and a hefty 17.5 tons, the 10-year-old boy is the world’s largest child, ... er ... replica of a child. Climb Eddie’s vertebrae to visit his working brain, heart, stomach and intestines. Eddie’s home, EdVenture Children’s Museum, is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and noon-5:00 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Monday.

This story was originally published May 26, 2016 at 4:54 PM.