Memorial Day events: Ceremonies and flyovers planned around SLO County

Community members will gather across San Luis Obispo County this holiday weekend to honor American military service members past and present.

A number of Memorial Day ceremonies and tributes are planned, including several flyovers by military aircraft.

Here are some of the events planned for the Central Coast. All are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Atascadero

The Atascadero Veterans Memorial Foundation will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday at the Faces of Freedom Veterans Memorial near Atascadero Lake Park.

In addition to a speech by U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Tim Haley of the Central Coast Leathernecks, the event features a Welcome Home Military Heroes flag line and color guard. Members of the Atascadero High School Choir will sing the national anthem, with “Taps” played by Darin Gong.

A memorial wreath will be laid in memory of Si Teneberg.

Three planes piloted by local veterans will soar over the Atascadero ceremony around 11 a.m. in a missing man formation as part of Estrella Warbirds Museum’s Freedom Flight program.

For more information, contact Cheryl Hertan at 805-235-8567 or cheryl@cherylann.net.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2814 will offer graveside services at 11 a.m. at Atascadero Pine Mountain Cemetery off Highway 41.

Lunch will be held at 1 p.m. at VFW headquarters, 9555 Morro Road in Atascadero, featuring complimentary hamburgers and potluck side dishes and dessert.

Cayucos

Community members will gather at the Cayucos Pier at 3 p.m. Monday to remember military service members, civilians and fishermen lost at sea during a special event hosted by the Rotary Club of Cayucos-Seaside.

A retired U.S. Navy chaplain will officiate the event, which includes bagpipes, speakers, prayers and a walk to the end of the Cayucos Pier. Garlands of flowers will be ceremoniously tossed to the sea in remembrance of those lost.

There will be an Estrella Warbirds flyover around 4 p.m.

Cambria

American Legion Post No. 432 will sponsor an hourlong event beginning at 11 a.m. at the flag stand area of the Veterans Memorial Building, 1000 Main St.

In addition to a keynote address by U.S. Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. Jana Reed, a retired veteran and physician at Coastal Pines Medical Group in Cambria, the event will feature patriotic choral music and a remembrance ceremony. The recipient of the annual Mel McColloch award will be announced and honored.

Following the ceremony, the Sons of the Legion and the Auxiliary will provide a barbecue. A $5 donation is requested.

For more information, call 805-927-5010

Los Osos

Los Osos Valley Memorial Park will host a smaller-than-usual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday due to COVID-19 precautions.

The ceremony, which will run 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature a flag ceremony by local Girl Scouts members. There will also be a free hot dog lunch served by members of the Kiwanis Club of Bay Osos.

The memorial park is located at 2260 Los Osos Valley Road. For more information, call 805-528-1500.

Oceano

The Oceano Train Depot will honor fallen service members this weekend with a new exhibit curated by Oceano historian Mark Weedon.

The exhibit, which runs through July 10, features more than a dozen uniformed mannequins representing the World War II service of American marines, soldiers, airmen, sailors and nurses.

Located at 1650 Front St., the depot is open 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday or by appointment. Call 805-489-5446 or email OceanoDepot@gmail.com for details.

Paso Robles

The Paso Robles District Cemetery, 45 Nacimiento Lake Drive, will kick off its Memorial Day service at 11 a.m. Monday in front of the office area.

Skip Bellinghausen will serve as master of ceremonies for the event, which will feature a uniformed Camp Roberts honor guard and speakers Rex Thornhill and Salvador Cota.

Tiffany Tedeschi will perform patriotic songs, with “Taps” played by Alex Von Dollen.

Local Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts will recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and American Legion Riders Chapter No. 50 will raise the flag. The Rev. Tim Mensing will offer the invocation and closing prayer.

A Estrella Warbirds flyover is expected toward the end of the ceremony, around 11:50 a.m.

For more information, call 805-238-4544.

Estrella Warbirds Museum, 4251 Dry Creek Road in Paso Robles, will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday. Call 805-238-9317 for details.

Pismo Beach

A Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. Monday on the Pismo Beach Pier Promenade, 101 Pomeroy Ave.

San Luis Obispo

Volunteers can join American Legion Post No. 66 on Saturday to place American flags on the graves of veterans at three cemeteries in San Luis Obispo. They’ll gather at 8 a.m. at San Luis Cemetery at the corner of South Higuera Street and Elks Lane.

On Monday, the American Legion post will host its annual Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at its headquarters, 1661 Mill St. The hourlong ceremony begins at 11 a.m.

Following the ceremony, there will be a presentation about the meaning and importance of Memorial Day by Morgan Boyd, director of the San Luis Obispo County Veterans Services Office.

The Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum will be open for tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday.

Located at 801 Grand Ave. at Monterey Street, the museum will feature a special Hometown Heroes exhibit that pays tribute to San Luis Obispo County service members “who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the U.S. military.”

There will also be live music by a Cal Poly brass quintet, a food truck and a letter-writing table so visitors can contact active service members deployed across the world.

Estrella Warbirds planes will fly over the museum around 11:20 a.m.

For more information, call 805-543-4763.

Santa Margarita

Santa Margarita Cemetery, 606 E Pozo Road, will hold a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Monday with a special tribute to two World War II veterans who died in the past six months. The Estrella Warbirds are scheduled to fly over at about 11:10 a.m. that day.

Templeton

There will be a brief Memorial Day service at the columbarium at Templeton District Cemetery, 100 Templeton Cemetery Road, starting at 11 a.m. Monday.

The Estrella Warbirds will fly over the Templeton cemetery at 11:40 a.m.

For more information, call 805-434-3314.

This story was originally published May 29, 2022 at 9:00 AM.

Sarah Linn

The Tribune

805-781-7907

Sarah Linn is an editor and reporter on the West Service Journalism Team, working with journalists in Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, Merced and San Luis Obispo in California and Bellingham, Olympia and Tri-Cities in Washington, as well as Boise, Idaho. She previously served as the Local/Entertainment Editor of The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, working there for nearly two decades. A graduate of Oregon State University, she has earned multiple California journalism awards.