Apr. 23, 2014:  The Bronxville School PTA will once again host Memorial Day Weekend festivities. Co-chairs Suzanne Pratt Davis and Leana Patel have been working hard to make sure there is something for everyone to enjoy.

"We see Memorial Day 2014 as a community-wide celebration," Suzanne and Leana said. "We hope residents of Bronxville and nearby communities will check out all events that are part of the Bronxville PTA's biggest fundraiser for 2014."

The events include the dog parade and beauty contest, the James E. Kearney Run for Fun (which this year will be followed by kids' races on the track), the used-book sale, the cupcake café, the dollar raffle, and the carnival. "Don't be surprised if you see a dog parade poster at your vet's office or a Run for Fun flier at your local gym," the co-chairs said.

For kids, the main event will be the carnival on Hayes Field on Memorial Day after the parade. This year, there will be lots of new activities, new foods, and the dollar raffle drawing. To make the day more fun for older kids, there will be an interactive super photo booth that produces 5-by-7-inch prints. Also on tap are a Monster Wave water ride and an Aqua Extreme water obstacle course. There will be a large art tent with a nail salon, henna body art, a caricaturist, canvases to paint, and much more. And the Boy Scouts will be selling veggie burgers and margherita pizza in addition to the traditional hotdogs and burgers. "I'm a vegetarian and wanted to introduce some vegetarian food options at the carnival," Leana said.

This year, the carnival will also have a rain date (Sunday, June 1) for the first time. "The weather on Memorial Day has been gorgeous for the last few years, and we were worried about pushing our luck," Suzanne said. "The PTA spends a lot of money on the carnival's huge inflatables and water rides, none of which can be moved inside."

Suzanne cited yet another reason for families to attend the carnival this year. "There may not be a carnival in 2015, as it's likely that Hayes Field will be under construction next spring," she said. "So don't miss this year's!"

The PTA will also host parents-only parties at the homes of school families. Tickets will cost $75 per person.

Organizing all of the festivities has been a labor of love for the co-chairs, who are both relatively new to Bronxville. "Having attended some of the Memorial Day events last year, I was impressed by the scale and scope of the celebrations, as well as the level of community and school involvement," said Leana, who moved to Bronxville from London in February of 2013. "I was looking for a new challenge and thought this would be the ideal opportunity to get to know The Bronxville School and community."

"When I moved to Bronxville with my husband and three boys four years ago, I found everyone to be very warm and friendly," Suzanne said. "Co-chairing Memorial Day 2014 is my way to say thank you to the Bronxville community for being so welcoming."

They make a good team. Suzanne, who used to run the newsroom for PBS's Nightly Business Report, has focused on the big picture, while Leana, who used to work as a tax and trusts and estates lawyer, has focused on the details. In the process, they both say they've had a lot of fun.

For a full schedule of events, go to http://www.bronxvillepta.org/memorial-day-2014.

Pictured here (L to R):  Memorial Day co-chairs Leana Patel and Suzanne Pratt Davis.

Photo courtesy Francine Schwadel, Publicity Chair, Bronxville School PTA