For most Midwesterners, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. The three-day weekend usually brings (we’re keeping our fingers crossed!) beautiful weather, cookouts, and lots of community festivities.

For homebuyers looking for homes in Chicago’s western suburbs, Memorial Day can be a great opportunity to get to know the community you’re considering. The holiday that honors the heroes who died while serving in our country’s armed forces is marked with parades and events that display the best of what the western suburbs have to offer.

Naperville Memorial Day Parade

Beginning at 10:30 AM sharp on Monday, May 28, Naperville’s Memorial Day parade is a can’t-miss tribute that honors America’s veterans and fallen heroes as marching bands and musicians play throughout the route. The parade begins in downtown Naperville on Mill Street and travels on Jackson Avenue and north into Central Park, where it concludes. Following the parade, be sure to stick around for a special observance ceremony at 12:15 PM in Central Park.

St. Charles Fine Art Show

Parades aren’t the only way to spend Memorial Day weekend. St. Charles hosts an annual Fine Art Show, and this year it takes place on May 26 and 27. Free admission and parking allows you to view the work of about 100 juried artists in mediums from watercolor to jewelry and more. May 26 hours are from 10 AM to 6 PM. On May 27, the show opens at 10 AM and runs to 5 PM. Located at the intersection of Riverside and Main Street, the event will also feature live entertainment and free trolley tours of the historic downtown area.

Western Springs Memorial Day Parade

Western Springs will host its Memorial Day parade on May 28 from 10 AM to 12 PM. Organized by Western Springs Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10778, the parade will feature minister and retired Army Chaplain Robert E. Geaschel as grand marshal. The event will start at Hillgrove and Prospect avenues and end at the Western Springs Tower Green. A ceremony will be held at the Tower Green following the parade.