▁the ▁many ▁people ▁who ▁had ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁S atur days . ▁In ▁addition , ▁it ▁allowed ▁the ▁popular ▁ 5 0 0 ▁Festival ▁Par ade ▁to ▁run ▁dow nt own ▁during ▁the ▁day time , ▁rather ▁than ▁as ▁the ▁night ▁para de ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁forced ▁to ▁be ▁for ▁years . ▁Despite ▁the ▁change , ▁rain ▁and ▁acc idents ▁delayed ▁the ▁race ▁until ▁Wed nes day . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁race ▁has ▁been ▁scheduled ▁for ▁the ▁Sunday ▁of ▁Memorial ▁Day ▁week end . ▁In ▁case ▁of ▁a ▁rain out ▁on ▁Sunday , ▁the ▁race ▁will ▁be ▁res ch eduled ▁for ▁the ▁following ▁day , ▁Monday ▁- ▁the ▁Memorial ▁Day ▁federal ▁hol iday . ▁Monday ▁is ▁the ▁prior it ized ▁make - up ▁date , ▁however , ▁if ▁it ▁ra ins ▁again ▁on ▁Monday , ▁the ▁race ▁will ▁be ▁shift ed ▁to ▁the ▁next ▁available ▁day . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁race ▁was ▁scheduled ▁for ▁Sunday ▁May ▁ 2 5 , ▁but ▁was ▁it ▁ra ined ▁out ▁on ▁both ▁Sunday , ▁and ▁Monday . ▁It ▁was ▁post pon ed ▁to ▁the ▁following ▁week end , ▁and ▁held ▁on ▁Saturday ▁May ▁ 3 1 . ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁race ▁was ▁scheduled ▁for ▁Sunday ▁May ▁ 2 5 , ▁but ▁rain ▁was hed ▁out ▁the ▁day . ▁The ▁race ▁began ▁the ▁next ▁day , ▁on ▁Memorial ▁Day ▁( M ond ay ▁May ▁ 2 6 ), ▁but ▁rain ▁show ers ▁moved ▁back ▁into ▁the