Weather permitting, here are Memorial Day events, ceremonies in the Rock Hill region

Searching for something to do in the Rock Hill region this Memorial Day weekend?

Well, first consult the weather forecast. However, there are local events for all ages and interests, many of them organized with veterans in mind.

Want something low key?

For a more relaxed Memorial Day weekend, visit Old Town Market on E Main Street in Rock Hill for some local shopping. You can browse collections of produce, local meats, crafts and much more. Old Town Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon.

The Fort Mill Farmers Market also will be Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Veterans Park on N White Street. Vendors will offer produce and handcrafted items as well as agricultural products.

Buster Boyd Bridge on Lake Wylie is a busy place on Memorial Day weekend, and for good reason. For those who enjoy boating, fishing or simply enjoying the breeze off the lake, Buster Boyd is a hub of activity all weekend. If you’re interested, you can rent a canoe.

Want a bit more adventure?

Carowinds opens for the summer. They are offering free admission to active and retired U.S. military, veterans, reserves, and National Guard from through May 29, with up to 6 discounted family and friends tickets. These must be purchased online.

Carolina Harbor, the Carolinas’ largest water park, opens Saturday.

The Chasing the Wake 2nd Annual Memorial Event will be held at SouthTown Wake Park on Sunday, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will include discounted cable and aqua park passes, a 20-foot waterslide, food trucks and local vendors.

Also, the Fort Mill Memorial Day Honor Run will be held Monday. Runners will depart from Amor Artis Brewing on Main Street at 7:30 a.m. Check-in begins at 7 a.m.

Registration for the Honor run is free.

However, the York County Veterans Affairs Office Food Pantry will be present to collect non-perishable food items. A full list of recommended donations can be found on the event’s website.

Honoring local veterans

Join the Tega Cay Veterans Association at the Living Memorial Gardens at 10 a.m. on Monday for their Memorial Day Ceremony. It it’s raining, the ceremony will be moved indoors at the Glennon Center.

The Fort Mill Memorial Day Ceremony also will at 10 a.m. on Monday at the Unity Cemetery on Tom Hall Street. The event will include a message from Fort Mill Mayor Guynn Savage and a program from American Legion Post 43.

Unable to attend in person? A recording of the Fort Mill ceremony will be available for viewing on the Fort Mill YouTube channel (@fortmilltv).

Here’s the weather outlook

Friday is expected to be partially sunny, but a low pressure system moving inland will result in wind and rain from Friday night through Sunday. Be prepared for gusty winds and 60 degree weather throughout the weekend.

If you’re trying to avoid spring showers, the rain is expected to relent Monday, bringing slightly higher temperatures.

If you’ll be on the road

The Memorial Day holiday weekend is one of the busiest highway periods in South Carolina, said Cpl. David Jones of the S.C. Highway Patrol.

The summer travel season starts with the weekend, and troopers annually work with local law enforcement to try and curtail crashes and fatalities. Motorists are heading to the coast for holidays, but also to graduations and other summer activities that mark a large increase on the roads, Jones said.

Drivers should expect to see more troopers on Interstate 77 and other main highways in York, Chester, and Lancaster counties, Jones said.

“There will be a larger presence of troopers all across the state,” Jones said.

Troopers are cracking down on DUI, speeders, and other safety measures including seat belt use, Jones said.

Highway travel is expected to increase for Memorial Day weekend as much as 6 percent over 2022, according to AAA. More than 37 million travelers are projected to be on the roads nationwide through Tuesday, AAA said.

Gasoline prices are down significantly from the Memorial Day weekend of 2022, AAA said. Prices are more than $1 per gallon cheaper than for the same time frame in 2022.

The York County Sheriff’s Office traffic enforcement unit will be working throughout the weekend, said sheriff spokesman Trent Faris.

Memorial Day weekend also generally signals the summer boating and water recreation seasons on Lake Wylie and the Catawba River, Faris said. Sheriff officials urge all who use the lake and river to follow safety procedures.

Andrew Dys and Steve Lyttle contributed to this article.