May 18, 2026 · Updated May 18, 2026
Babylon Village's 100th Memorial Day parade steps off Monday morning as Robert Moses State Park's beach reopens for summer. From a concert at Argyle Lake to a kayak launch at the town marina, here are five ways to spend the long weekend on Long Island's South Shore.
Memorial Day weekend arrives with a full card for Babylon and the South Shore, from a century-old parade route through the village to the unofficial start of beach season at Robert Moses State Park's Field 5.
Here are five things worth showing up for.
Babylon's parade, marking its 100th year, steps off at 10 a.m. Monday, May 25 from the firehouse at 30 Fire Island Avenue and moves west on Deer Park Avenue to Veterans Memorial Park. The route passes town hall and the landmark Argyle Hotel building, ending with a wreath-laying ceremony at the veterans monument. Rain date is Tuesday.
The New York State Office of Parks opens full lifeguard coverage at Robert Moses State Park Fields 2 through 5 on Saturday, May 23. Parking at the Fire Island causeway entrance runs $10 per car on weekends. The water temperature along the barrier beach typically reaches the mid-60s by late May, and the park's concession stands reopen for the season this weekend.
The Belmont Lake State Park naturalist leads a two-mile bird walk Saturday, May 24 at 8 a.m., starting at the main parking area off Babylon-Farmingdale Road in North Babylon. The walk focuses on migratory warblers and shorebirds moving through the South Shore salt marshes. Free with park admission.
The Village of Babylon kicks off its summer concert series Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m. at Argyle Lake Park on Deer Park Avenue. The first act is a local acoustic folk duo playing roots music and originals. Bring a blanket. Admission is free. Parking along the park perimeter fills quickly after 5:30 p.m.
The town marina at 1 Carll's River Road in West Babylon offers free kayak and canoe launch access over Memorial Day weekend as part of its spring boating initiative. Rentals are not available on-site, but the launch ramp opens to privately owned watercraft starting Saturday. The launch sits at the mouth of Carll's River where it empties into the Great Cove, with flat water sheltered from South Shore chop.
Sunrise Monday is at 5:33 a.m. The National Weather Service is forecasting high temperatures around 72 degrees with a 20 percent chance of showers on Monday afternoon, enough to keep the crowds manageable at the beach but not enough to cancel the parade.
