– The annual Memorial Day Parade will take place Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. on Central Avenue after a 10 a.m. memorial service held by Dunkirk Joint Veterans Council at Memorial Park. There is also a Knights of Columbus memorial service at the Dunkirk Lighthouse at 8:30 a.m.

– The Dunkirk Flea Market, organized by Brian Meyer, will be on Saturdays, May 3 through Aug. 30, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Route 5 and Washington Avenue parking lot. To become a vendor, please call Meyer at 716-680-0958.

– The second annual Dunkirk Walleye Festival is June 6-8 on the city pier.

Professional walleye anglers will compete in the fifth Annual WNY Walleye Classic directed by Josh Larsen, tournament director, while the festival portion with food, craft and fishing gear vendors will be directed by Scott Mekus, Dunkirk Festivals event specialist.

People gather at a previous Music on the Pier Summer Concert Series.

The Walleye Classic will be the highlight of the festival, consisting of two to five anglers weighing in their biggest six fish caught, with top ten payouts and top three biggest fish prizes at 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The festival will feature a Big Fish Friday event (June 6) with Scott Celani Band’s Tom Petty Tribute (7 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and the main event (June 7) with The Committed (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.) and West of the Mark (7 p.m. – 10 p.m.).

A free kids’ fishing clinic and tournament will take place Sunday, June 8 starting at 8 a.m. Pro angler and National Walleye Tour Championship finalist Craig Sleeman will conduct the event. The winner of the tournament will win a guided fishing trip with Sleeman.

– The Dunkirk Farmers Market starts June 11 and will continue every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Oct. 8 at the Dunkirk Senior Center Pavilion. For more information, contact E.J. Hayes at (716) 366-9876.

– The popular Music on the Pier Summer Concert Series returns for 11 weeks on Thursday evenings from June 12 through Aug. 21. New musical acts and concession vendors will be on the Dunkirk Pier and/or Memorial Park along with Dunkirk Boardwalk and pier merchants open for business.

The following is a lineup of opening bands (6 p.m. – new time) and headliner bands (7:15 p.m.) with Aug. 28 and Sept. 4 marked as rain dates:

June 12 – The Breeze/The Untouchables

June 19 – We Speak Canadian/Canada Rocks USA

June 26 – Backlog/Grand Illusion – The Music of Styx

July 3 – Classic Rock Allstars/Invincible: Ohio’s Premier Pat Benatar Tribute

July 10 – White Bronco/Nineties by Nature

July 17 – Silver Xtreme/Midnight Recovery

July 24 – Grosh/Uncle Ben’s Remedy

July 31 – Mayflower Hill/Tequila Sunrise Eagles Tribute

Aug. 7 – Kody & Herren/Fuzzy & The Rustbelts

Aug. 14 – Mo Porter Band/American Doors Tribute

Aug. 21 – Ion Sky/Flipside

The pier will be closed to traffic at 2 p.m. on Thursday concert dates at that location. Guests are reminded to bring a folding chair.

– The Matthew Hazelton Memorial 5K Run/Walk, hosted by the Dunkirk Police Benevolent Association, is scheduled for Saturday, June 7 at 9:30 a.m. at the Clarion Hotel Pavilion.

– The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Chautauqua County Great Strides will host a community walk on Saturday, June 14, at Point Gratiot Park with a 10 a.m. check-in and 11 a.m. walk start.

– The City of Dunkirk vs. Dunkirk City School District Charity Softball Game at Wright Park’s Prommenschenkel Stadium will take place on Wednesday, June 18 at 5 p.m. For more information, call Alexis Tofil at (716) 366-9877.

– The 29th Annual Juneteenth Celebration is scheduled for June 21 (noon – 8 p.m.) and June 22 (noon – 6 p.m.) at Memorial Park featuring music, food, vendors, games, kids’ tent, a petting zoo, an ice cream eating contest, a spades tournament, and gospel.

– The two-day Fourth of July Celebration (July 3-4) with food/refreshment vendors kicks off Wednesday, July 3 at 5 p.m. with music provided by Classic Rock Allstars followed by Invincible: Ohio’s Premier Pat Benatar Tribute at 7:15 p.m. in Memorial Park.

The Fourth of July day starts at 11 a.m. with music by Party McFly (1 p.m.), Furious George (4 p.m.) and headliner Two For Flinching (6:30 p.m.) The night concludes with Starfire Corporations fireworks – the largest fireworks display in Chautauqua County. July 5 is the rain date.

– The 11th Annual Marauder Trotter Run/Walk 5K (Wright Park) is happening Saturday, July 5 at 9 a.m. at Wright Park. For more information, call DJ Wilson at (716) 785-1537 or sign up at www.runsignup.com.

– The Boys and Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County and the City of Dunkirk Youth and Recreation Department will host a summer recreation program at Point Gratiot Park for six weeks (July 7-Aug. 15) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with early bird drop off at 7-7:45 a.m. and night owl pick up 4:15-5 p.m. Contact jeannie.bgc@gmail.com or atofil@cityofdunkirk.com.

– The Music at the Point Sunset Concert Series will be on the following Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. at Point Gratiot Park: July 9 – Darkwater Duo, July 16 – Zen City, July 23 – The Trend, July 30 – FootSteps, Aug. 6 – The Freeze, Aug. 13 – The Living Room Jam Band, Aug. 20 – Tim Britt & Evan Laedke and Aug. 27 – School of Rock House Band.

– The Beach Bash on July 19 (9 a.m. – 11 p.m.) at Wright Park features the Dunkirk 1st Ward Falcons 50th Anniversary Fastpitch Softball Tournament, a pickleball tournament, vendors, live music, inflatables, dunk tank, beach games and more. Band/DJ performances will be Wright Park Beach DJ Joe Gould (12 – 2 p.m.) and on the Beach Dog Grill stage with Melissa Sauers (2-5 p.m.), DJ Giulia Guiffre (5-8 p.m.) and Two or Flinching (8-11 p.m.).

– On Aug. 2 from noon to 4 p.m. in Washington Park, Highmark BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York Governments Program will host the Dunkirk Community and Wellness Day in Dunkirk open to the public.

– The 32nd Annual National Night Out free community event hosted by the Dunkirk Police Department is slated for Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at Washington Park. Bounce houses, Dunkirk Police and Fire Departments, music, food, refreshments, giveaways will be available.

– The National Walleye Tour preliminary event will return to the Dunkirk Pier on Aug. 7-8 with 7 a.m. take offs and 3:15 p.m. weigh in shows both days. There will be a free community kids’ fishing clinic following the Aug. 8 show.

– The SummerJam on the Ave Youth 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is scheduled for Aug. 16, starting at 10 a.m. on Central Avenue in front of City Hall for youth ages 8 and up split into 4 divisions with awards. For more information, contact Alexis Tofil at 716-366-9877.

– On Aug. 25 (with an Aug. 26 rain date), the complimentary Back to School Bash is set for Point Gratiot Park from 4 to 7 p.m. for Dunkirk City School District students and their families only. DJ Giulia Giuffre of Star Sirch will provide children’s entertainment while a bounce house, school supplies, giveaways, food, ice cream and refreshments will be available at no cost.

– The Halloween Boo Bash is planned for the Stearns Building and the courtyard by city hall on Thursday, Oct. 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. It will feature trick-or-treating, Halloween movies, snacks, crafts and goodie bags.

– Dunkirk’s Christmas on Central Holiday Extravaganza and Parade is slated for Saturday, Dec. 6 in downtown Dunkirk.

The overall schedule of events is available online at www.cityofdunkirk.com under the Residents/Festivals tab. Event brochures, with other main events hosted by local organizations, are available at the Dunkirk Boardwalk atrium and City Hall.

Mayor Kate Wdowiasz, the Dunkirk Festivals Department, the city council and city staff offer a special thanks and recognition to the 2025 platinum level sponsors: Advanced Production Group and Van Buren Drive-In. National Grid is also a main sponsor.

For more information about Dunkirk’s schedule of events, sponsor/vendor opportunities or local attractions, please visit www.cityofdunkirk.com, Facebook at Dunkirk Festivals & Special Events or contact Scott Mekus at (716) 366-9848 or smekus@cityofdunkirk.com.