Storms In The Forecast, But Lots Of Fun Planned For Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend 2012 is upon us and it looks like the forecast has shifted to a mix of showers, thunderstorms, and maybe a little bit of sun on and off.

Hopefully the rain will hold off for at least some of the weekend's big events.

If you are a Madison resident and you don't yet have your beach pass be sure to stop by the Beach & Recreation office at the Town Campus before 4 p.m. Friday, or be prepared to purchase a daily pass at the Surf Club. 

On Friday, May 25, as always, the Farmer's Market will be open from 3 to 6 p.m. at the town Green. It's always a great place to pick up items for parties or impromptu gatherings for the holiday weekend.

On Saturday, May 26, the Madison Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Memorial Day Weekend Antiques Show on the Green.

Come by to see great antiques and  cool nostalgic items...everything from wicker to dinnerware to lawn ornaments to furniture to games, toys, clothing, rugs, lamps and jewelry.  We'll have over 75 dealers from throughout New England offering  something for everyone, and a great assortment of food this year, including Taco Pacifico, Bobbie's Dawgs & Tangerine Catering's gourmet burgers. 

On the same day, the Madison Historical Society is holding a tag sale in front of Lee's Academy on the northeast corner of the Green.

On Sunday, May 27, 22 teams will be competing in the Connecticut U-19 Rugby Championships at Madison's . Competition will begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 27, and will be played simultaneously on three different fields.  Admission is free, but there is a $10 fee for parking if you don't have a Madison Beach Pass. If you've never seen a rugby game, or don't understand the game, take a look at our earlier article to find out why you might enjoy this sport that is becoming increasingly popular in this area.

And on Monday, May 28, people will start lining up at 9:15 a.m. for the annual Memorial Day 2012 Parade. The parade kicks off at 10 a.m., and then there will be a series of ceremonies around 10:20, 11:25, 12:15 and 12:30.

Also, this weekend is the Friends of Hammonasset's annual plant sale. You can find them just beyond the entrance of on Boston Post Road.

If it does rain, or if you are looking for something to do at night, you can check out the showtimes at . They are showing The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel pretty much non-stop from noon on, every day of the weekend, including Monday. The showtimes can be found on the Madison Art Cinema website. And here's an article from the Chicago Tribune on how The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel became an indie smash hit.

Here's the forecast for Memorial Day Weekend from the National Weather Service:

 Friday: Isolated showers before 9am, then scattered showers and thunderstorms between 9am and 2pm, then isolated showers after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 72. Southeast wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Friday Night: Areas of fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Areas of fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming southwest between 5 and 8 mph.

Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Patchy fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Memorial Day: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 63. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 71.