ADDISON COUNTY — The three American Legion posts in Addison County will each host parades on Memorial Day.
Middlebury American Legion Post 27 will once again conduct the first Memorial Day parade of the morning. This year’s parade, under the theme “Honoring our Heroes,” will step off from the parking lot behind the Middlebury College arts center at 9 a.m.
Marchers will follow their traditional route north on Main Street, around the green onto Pleasant Street in front of the Congregational Church of Middlebury and in front of the Middlebury Inn. The parade concludes at the Soldiers’ Monument at the top of Merchants Row, where there will be a short ceremony honoring fallen servicemen and women and those still serving.
To participate in the parade, call Post 27 at 388-9311 and let them know what type of entry you have (walkers, float, etc.), number of participants and what your entry represents. Then meet in the Middlebury College parking lot off of Field House Road at 8 a.m. on parade day.
Participants are asked to keep in mind the intent of the parade, which is to pay tribute to those that have fought for this great nation. No political signs or banners will be permitted.
VERGENNES
Vermont’s largest Memorial Day parade is hosted by American Legion Post 14 in Vergennes. The parade marshal this year is Lesley Urban, retired sergeant major in the Vermont Air National Guard, and the main speaker at the ceremony after the parade will be World War II veteran George Jaeger of New Haven.
The parade starts at Vergennes Union High School at 11 a.m., and it winds its way through the streets of Vergennes until it finishes at the City Green around 1 p.m. Organizers work hard to make sure that spectators will see lots of floats, tractors, classic cars, firetrucks, and much more.
Watch from anywhere along the parade route: Vergennes Union High School, Monkton Road, Main Street (Route 22A), South Maple Street, Victory Street, Green Street and the City Green. Plan ahead, as portions of these roads will be closed to traffic from approximately 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Please do not park at the high school.
Awards for parade participants will be announced on the City Green at the end of the parade. Following the awards ceremony, a chicken barbecue will be held at the Legion ($8).
The theme for this year’s parade is “Honor and Remember.” The parade will honor all the men and women who have served our country during times of conflict. It is designed to appeal to veterans and our community. Parade participants are strongly encouraged to prominently display patriotic decorations to the meet the parade purpose and theme.
Parade participants are encouraged to fill out an entry form, which is available online at vergenes.org; hard copies are available at the Vergennes Legion.
All floats should arrive at Vergennes Union High School at 9:30 a.m. Floats will be judged at 10:15 a.m. based on theme, workmanship, originality and general effect.
For more information, contact Martha DeGraaf at [email protected] or the Legion at [email protected].
BRISTOL
Bristol American Legion will host its traditional “small town” Memorial Day parade and related festivities. The charming event begins with parade marchers stepping off from the entrance to Mount Abraham Union High School at Airport Drive at 1 p.m. They will proceed eastward on West Street to the village green, where Legion Post 19 will host its traditional Memorial Day Ceremony.
The parade will consist of representatives from the Bristol Police Department, Bristol Fire Department, Bristol Rescue Squad, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Little League and other civic organizations.
On the green, the Legion will feature a speech with remarks appropriate to Memorial Day. As of press time the Bristol Legion was nailing down the speaker for the ceremony, but officials said it would be either a senior officer from the Vermont National Guard or an official from the Vermont Chapter of Ex-POWs.
Following the ceremony, there will be an open house at the Legion.