More than a few local residents were nursing sunburns and sore muscles today in the wake of the summer season’s first real invitation for play— the Memorial Day weekend.

And what a weekend it was. From Friday through Monday, the sun disappeared only when it set and while the mercury didn’t attain record heights, the air was crystal clear, the sun was pleasantly warm. High temperatures Sunday and Monday hovered near 70, with morning lows at the 40-degree mark.

Sidney’s Tawawa Park attracted near capacity crowds of outdoor chefs, badminton players and those just content to spread their Sunday newspaper on the warm grass. The sounds of happy human voices and smells of charcoal and barbecue sauce created a distinct "joi de vie" atmosphere. The weekend opening of Sidney’s municipal pool lured a surprisingly large number of swimmers, despite the often chilly breeze. Local state parks experienced a similar eagerness.

Officials at Lake Loramie Park reported the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday attendance there was an estimated 17,665 including 2,700 campers. Judy Siegel, a secretary at the park office, said it was the biggest Memorial Day weekend of the past three years.

In keeping with the true meaning of Memorial Day a parade organized by Sidney’s American Legion moved down Ohio Avenue from Shelby County Courthouse square to Graceland Cemetery. It included the Gold Star and Navy Mothers, the American Legion Singing Soldiers and Sidney and Lehman High School bands.