Memorial Day Weekend in the Regional Parks

Memorial Day weekend is almost here, and it’s always one of the busiest times in the East Bay Regional Parks. All the Regional Parks will be open, some with special activities to celebrate the day.

On Memorial Day, May 29, there will be no picnic area reservations available; first come, first served will be the rule. So it’s advisable to arrive at your favorite park early, if you wish to secure a desirable spot. This is especially true at parks with swim facilities, which are always crowded on summer holiday weekends.

If all tables are taken, visitors can enjoy blanket picnicking on lawn areas. Barbecuing is allowed at the stands designed for that purpose. Portable barbecues are okay, but only on lawn areas, not in tall, dry grass. Please dispose of coals in the concrete receptacles designed for that purpose, not in regular trash barrels. And of course, everyone should be extremely cautious with fire. Smoking is not allowed in the Regional Parks.

Especially at the parks with swim areas, cooperate with all rules and regulations. Swim within the limits of your skill, and supervise children at all times. Be sure to comply with all instructions from lifeguards, rangers, police, firefighters and other emergency personnel. Nobody wants dangerous situations to mar an otherwise pleasant park visit.

Before you go, check “Alerts and Closures” at the Park District website, www.ebparks.org, to be sure there are no restrictions at the park you wish to attend.

Here are some of the special activities planned in the Regional Parks during Memorial Day weekend: Admission is free on Memorial Day, May 29, at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. you can help with farm chores, ride the train, tour the Victorian farmhouse, watch cooking demonstrations at the outdoor kitchen, or try some old-time games. Ardenwood recreates life on a prosperous Victorian-era farming estate. The farm is at 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, just north of Highway 84. For information, call 510-544-2797.

The first campfire program of 2023 at Dumbarton Quarry Campground in Fremont will be a trivia contest from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 27. Attendees will form teams to compete, answer questions and win points and prizes. The trivia contest is for ages five and older; parent participation is required. There’s a $5 parking fee. This is a drop-in program; registration is not necessary. You need not be camping at the campground to participate. Dumbarton Quarry Campground is at 9400 Quarry Road in Fremont, just off Highway 84. For information, call Coyote Hills at 510-544-3220.

“Memorial Day Memories” is the theme of Family Nature Fun Hour at 1:30 p.m. on both Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28, at the Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove in Crown Beach, Alameda. The program is free and drop-in, no registration is necessary. Learn how to fold a flag, tie a knot, and make a flower to place on the park’s Merchant Mariners Memorial. Crab Cove also plans a Memorial Day Open House on Monday, May 29, starting at noon.. Activities between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. will include a reptile program, flag folding, nature stories, low tide exploration, and a self-guided history walk. Crab Cove is at 1252 McKay Ave. off Alameda’s Central Avenue. For information, call 510-544-3187.

A wool felting session is on the agenda for 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 27, at the Environmental Education Center in Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley with naturalist Jenna Collins. The group will use water and soap to produce little woolly creations. This is a drop-in program. Then from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. the same day, Jenna will show how to spin yarn without a spinning wheel, using your hands and a drop spindle. Both programs are free; no registration is necessary. The Environmental Education Center is at the north end of Tilden’s Central Park Drive, accessible via Canon Drive from Grizzly Peak Boulevard in Berkeley. For information, call 510-544-2233.

At Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley, there’s a nature-themed craft activity between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. every Saturday in May and June. The programs are free and no registration is necessary. Big Break is at 69 Big Break Road off Oakley’s Main Street. For information, call 510-544-3050.

These are just a few of the programs planned in the East Bay Regional Parks in coming days. For the full list, visit www.ebparks.org/things-to-do. And however you spend it, have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.