Presented by GYG
Thursday, May 21st, 2026
Good morning! Welcome to The Tradesman, a 5-minute newsletter tailored just for America’s tradesmen.
Today, we salute all things related to this upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
It’s Thursday, which means another $50 Gas Card Giveaway!
Click here to enter! (NOTE: Limit one entry per person)
Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!
This weekend is a big weekend for racecar enthusiasts alike.
NASCAR and the Indy 500 are taking place this Sunday, with both events already sold out.
To watch, the Indy 500 will be streaming on FOX at 12:30 p.m., and the Charlotte NASCAR race will be shown at 6:00 p.m EST on Prime.
Click here for more information on the NASCAR race and here for the Indy 500 race.
What to Do This Three-Day Weekend
A three-day weekend spent inside sometimes sounds good on paper, but when you get into a rhythm of working hard every day, you can grow restless from sitting still for too long.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
We have found a list of all the things happening this Memorial Day weekend in Columbus.
From parades to festivals, to everything in between, you can find it all here.
Morning Meme
What to Listen to This Three-Day Weekend
What’s a good weekend without a good soundtrack?
We have compiled a ten-song playlist that is perfect for an all-American holiday.
"Arlington" — Trace Adkins
"If You're Reading This" — Tim McGraw
"American Soldier" — Toby Keith
"Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly" — Aaron Tippin
"Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" — Toby Keith
"Riding with Private Malone" — David Ball
"Some Gave All" — Billy Ray Cyrus
"Letters from Home" — John Michael Montgomery
"Bring Him Home" — various artists (country versions work well)
"God Bless the USA" — Lee Greenwood
Are there songs we missed or shouldn’t have included? Let us know by replying to this email!
For Those Who Stepped Forward
As we all know, Memorial Day is this Monday, which for many means an extra day off, cookouts, and the unofficial start of Summer. However, in all the excitement, we mustn’t forget the real reason we celebrate this holiday.
Memorial Day is a day we pause to honor all the people who have died defending our country.
That includes the 116,516 American lives lost in World War I, 405,399 lost in World War II, 36,574 in Korea, 58,220 in Vietnam, and 4,492 in Iraq.
Most importantly, we remember the approximately 25,000 American soldiers who laid down their lives 250 years ago for the hope of birthing a new nation where all men were free to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.
We know freedom isn’t free. That is why, this Monday, we salute all those who stepped forward when the rest of us stepped back.
Thank you to all the families with empty chairs at the dinner table and the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.
Click here for an essay on this sacred holiday done by our friends at The Pennant.
POLL
Will You be watching NASCAR or the Indy 500 this weekend?
Previous Results
What are your plans for Memorial Day?
Spend time with friends - 14%
Spend time with family - 57%
Nothing - 29%
Thank you for reading The Tradesman. We always welcome any reader feedback by simply replying to this email!