Memorial Day Parades This Weekend

Before the beach and barbecues, let’s honor those behind the reason for the three-day holiday weekend—those who made the supreme sacrifice while serving this country in the U.S. Military.

On Sunday, May 28, Broad Channel will hold their Memorial Day Parade. It begins with a wreath laying ceremony at the flagpole in 17th Road Park at 12:45 p.m. and continues down Cross Bay Boulevard to the George Riekers Veterans Memorial Park. The parade will be followed by a barbecue at VFW Post 260 at 713 Shad Creek Road.

On Monday, May 29, the American Legion Daniel M. O’Connell Post #272 will host its 104th Memorial Day Parade in Rockaway. The day will commence with a Memorial Mass at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Francis de Sales Church. At the conclusion of services, a ceremony will be held at the Four Chaplains monument outside the church. The parade will proceed to Beach 121st Street for a ceremony at noon at the Veterans Memorial Circle. Upon the conclusion of this ceremony, the parade will march up Beach 120th and the boardwalk. This is a new route for the march to the Doughboy and Doughgirl monuments at Veterans Memorial Plaza at Beach 94th Street for a concluding ceremony. Following this ceremony, we will retire to the Knights of Columbus on Beach 90th Street for refreshments and hot dogs. All Veterans, whether an American Legion member or not, are encouraged to march.

Memorial Day is the most solemn of days for Veterans as we remember the brave men and women who made the supreme sacrifice to defend and preserve freedom around the world. We are well aware that Memorial Day weekend has become the official opening of the “summer season” and many people are busy attending and hosting their BBQs. We, as Legionnaires, do not march for ourselves but for those who gave their all for a grateful nation. We would be grateful for a robust turnout.

Special thanks to the Knights of Columbus and the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Division 21, and St Francis de Sales for their support and participation in this parade. We cordially invite you to join us on this day of Remembrance as we, for the 104th year in a row, honor our fallen comrades. – James Trainor, Parade Chairman.

Photos by Katie McFadden.