The Bethlehem Detachment 284 of the Marine Corps League invites Marines and friends and relatives of Marines to celebrate the 249th birthday of the United States Marine Corps at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Cedar Beach Park in Allentown.

U.S. Marines, Fleet Marine Force Navy Corpsmen, Fleet Marine Force Chaplains, and their families gather every Nov. 10 at the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial in Cedar Beach Park to celebrate the annual birthday of the Marine Corps.

Marines and FMF Sailors attend from every modern war, from young to old, active duty, retired, and those that did one hitch, all gather in camaraderie and fellowship to hear the inspiring message to all Marines from famed World War I General John A. Lejeune and other, modern military leaders to include the current Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The ceremony concludes with the traditional cutting of the birthday cake where the oldest and the youngest Marine, FMF Corpsman or FMF Chaplain are served the first pieces.

The U.S. Marine Corps Monument at Cedar Beach Park is located at 24th and Hamilton streets in Allentown between the playground and the Red Cube sculpture on the east side of Lake Muhlenberg.

For more information, contact Douglas Graves at doug@graves.org or phone 540-842-3241.