In Wareham, summer unofficially starts with a salute (and a splash, and some slurping) as residents gear up for a busy weekend.

On Monday, the town will observe Memorial Day with a series of ceremonies scheduled at area cemeteries and war memorials.

Sunday brings the Friends of the Wareham Free Library’s 3rd annual Rubber Duck Race and the 4th annual Wareham Oyster Festival. For more on all of these events, read on.

Wareham Oyster Festival

Wareham Oyster Festival organizers say the event will let the rest of southern New England in on one the town’s best kept secrets – local shellfish are to drive for.

“We have people from the Cape, Boston, the North Shore, all over really, coming here,” said Linda Burke, vice president of marketing and communication for the A.D. Makepeace company. “Families travel for this.”

Now in its fourth year, the event is scheduled for Sunday, May 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oyster purveyors will be in Pezzoli Square with other local eateries and a variety of vendors setting up along Main Street.

Five oyster companies from Rhode Island to the outer Cape will be on hand along with half a dozen other food vendors. Burke said having a variety of oyster sellers is a big draw for connoisseurs of the slippery shellfish.

“They go from table to table tasting each one and noting the subtle difference in flavor,” said Burke. “People will talk about the shape of the shell, the brininess. Apparently it’s just like wine. There’s a term, terroir, that they’ve changed specifically for oysters –merroir.”

In French, terroir refers to the soil and climate where wine grapes are grown. Oyster sellers have put their own twist on that word, hence merroir.

“It refers to the taste oysters take on from their location,” said Wareham Village Association member and festival organizer Bob Brady. “I’m biased, but we’ve got a great location for oysters.”

Rubber Duck Race

The Friends of the Wareham Free Library’s Rubber Duck Race will float on at Tihonet Pond on May 28.

The festivities, held at Tihonet Village, begin at 11 a.m. with games for children, duck decorating and race registration. At 1:30 p.m., awards will be given for the best decorated ducks and at 2 p.m. the race begins.

Purchase ducks for decoration before race day at: Wareham Free Library, Spinney Memorial Library, The Cape Cod Five Cent Savings Bank, Nemasket Kayak Center and Makepeace Farms. In addition, ducks will be on sale prior to the race at the Wareham Oyster Festival on Main Street, held the same day of the race.

Sponsoring the Friends again this year is Watchman Waterproofing and the A.D. Makepeace Company. Watchman Waterproofing will distribute duck whistles for all and A.D. Makepeace is donating use of the location and assisting with the race.

One duck costs $5, a “six-quack” costs $25, 13 ducks cost $50, and a golden flock of 25 ducks costs $100. All proceeds support the work of the Friends of the Wareham Free Library.

Memorial Day

Before Monday’s ceremonies, local officials Selectmen are calling on residents to provide a warm, patriotic welcome for veterans who will be stopping in town on May 28 aboard the CapeFlyer.

On that weekend, the CapeFlyer will provide free fares for veterans to kick off the start of its seasonal service from Boston to Hyannis. To celebrate, the town will provide honor guards from the Fire and Police Departments and other organizations. The train will stop at the station on Merchants Way at 9:15 a.m.

The following day, ceremonies will begin at 8 a.m. in front of Wareham Community Television, 505 Main St.

From there observances will be held at: 8:30 a.m. on the town green, located across the street from Wareham Community Television; 9 a.m. in Centre Cemetery, located on Tihonet Road; 9:30 a.m. in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, located on Tihonet Road; 10 a.m. in Besse Park, located on Main Street near the Narrows; 10:30 a.m. in Agawam Cemetery, located on Great Neck Road; 11 a.m. in Dudley Brown Square, located in downtown Onset; 11:30 a.m. at the Onset bluffs; noon at the Stone Bridge in Onset and 12:30 p.m. in front of Wareham Town Hall, located at 54 Marion Road.