Suffield Memorial Day Parade Info

From Audrey Weir, administrative assistant to the first selectman

The Town of Suffield will hold a Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 28 starting at 9 a.m. Formation will begin at 8:45 a.m. Anyone wishing to participate in the Parade may do so by telephoning Audrey Weir at the First Selectman's Office at 860-668-3838.

Parade Route:

The parade will form on Ffyler Place and commence promptly at 9:00 a.m.  The line of March will run east on Mountain Road, left onto N. Main Street, right into the Suffield Village entrance and right onto Bank Street to the Veteran’s Memorial. The Officer of the Day, Mr. John Woods, will designate ceremony areas for each unit.

In the event of rain, the services will be held in Auditorium, 1060 Sheldon Street, at 10 a.m. and the parade will be cancelled.

A Memorial Day service will be held at in memory of deceased veterans at 8 a.m. All veterans and townspeople are invited to attend.

A VFW Honor Guard will visit the cemeteries in Suffield and West Suffield and fire the salute to the dead from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Program

1. Massing of the colors, Officer of the Day, John Woods

2. Pledge of Allegiance: Luke Joyal

3. Opening of program: First Selectman Ed McAnaney

4. Memorial Day prayer: Chaplain of the Day Major David Larson

5. Music: America the Beautiful by the Suffield High School band

6. In Flanders Fields: Katie Silva

7. Confession of National Faith: Micaela Tracey 

8. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: Patrick Begley

9. Memorial Day speaker: General Thaddeus Martin

10. Riderless Horse: Robert Cross

11. Presentation of a wreath at the memorial: Mark Tompkins and John Woods

12. Salute to the dead: VFW Honor Guard

13. Taps: Members of the Suffield High School band

14. Star Spangled Banner: Vocalist Sue Hastings

15. Closing of program: Officer of the Day John Woods

An invitation is extended to all marching units to visit the to on Sheldon Street for refreshments.

All Suffield veterans are welcome to participate in the parade, in uniform if possible. Each unit is requested to be at its place of assemblage 15 minutes before the parade time so that the Memorial Day service may begin on time.