WINSTON WEEKLY^[1]

May 24, 2026

Vol. 4, No. 21

MEMORABLE MEMORIALS[2]

Now in its 22nd year, the Celebration at the Station in Kansas City provides a memorable way to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend. The largest free Memorial Day celebration in the Midwest, Kansas City Symphony guest conductor Stuart Chafetz will be joined this evening by special guest Aubrey Logan. Featuring an evening of music dedicated to honoring the fallen and celebrating our freedom, the Symphony’s performance is preceded by music from the United States Air Force Academy Band’s Stellar Brass Quintet, and Raptor, a rock band from the United States Air Force Heartland of America.

Before the evening performances at Union Station, the National World War I Museum and Memorial up the hill from Union Station will host several events and performances. Not long after the war ended, a coalition of Kansas City leaders formed the Liberty Memorial Association, leading the initial funding efforts for the museum. Now hosting more than one million visitors annually, the museum includes numerous sensory and other exhibits. One of many fascinating exhibits includes the role of the nearly 12,000 Native Americans during the war. Many served as part of the key communications defense known as “Code Talkers.” Their work involved the transmission of battle plans and tactics that could not be deciphered by the Germans, leading to key victories during the war.

The 35^th Infantry Division Band (known as the 35^th Army Band) will perform on the grounds of the museum as part of the Memorial Day weekend events. The Army Band, headquartered in Olathe, Kansas, is the official musical unit of the Kansas National Guard. In addition to the performance at the museum, the band’s “citizen soldiers” perform throughout Missouri and Kansas during the summer, providing free concerts with a repertoire of songs celebrating America, along with several cinematic soundtracks.

WEEKLY ACTIVITY

Explore the history of one of the military bands performing this weekend in Kansas City or in another area of the country or read a book about military service. For those with children, Kate Messner’s book, Rolling Thunder, provides a fictionalized account of the annual Memorial Weekend event, Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom. The book is beautifully illustrated by Greg Ruth.

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[1] A weekly blog/newsletter by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2]Resources: The National World War I Museum and Memorial, www.theworldwar.org; Kansas City Symphony, https://www.kcsymphony.org; U.S. Army Bands, https://www.bands.army.mil.