Memorial Day 2023: Parades, Remembrances Planned Around Illinois

ILLINOIS — Communities around the greater Chicago area and the rest of Illinois will host events commemorating the Memorial Day holiday that are part of a nearly 160-year tradition that pays tribute to military personnel who lost their lives in service to their country.

The history of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, dates back to 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan called for a day of remembrance to honor the Northern lives lost amid battle during the Civil War that had ended just a few years earlier, according to History.com. As time passed, more and more people called it Memorial Day, and it became a federal holiday in 1971.

Waterloo, New York, is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day. The town’s observance on May 5, 1866, predated Logan’s call for a day of remembrance. Local businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags.

Until World War I, the holiday honored only those soldiers who died while fighting for the Union in the War, as Southern states honored their war dead on a separate day. After the 116,000-plus American deaths in World War I, the tradition changed to remember all who have died while serving in the military.

Every year, a national moment of remembrance is held at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, Americans are asked to pause for one minute in silence to remember military personnel who have given their lives in service to their country. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the midday time was chosen because it’s a time when many Americans will be enjoying their freedoms on a national holiday.

Here is a list of events in communities around the region that will honor local veterans.

In the Arlington Heights area, the following events will take place:

The 104th edition of the annual Arlington Heights Memorial Day Parade is scheduled to take place at 9:30 a.m. on Monday. The parade will begin at Arlington Heights Road and Sigwalt Street, go west to Sigwalt, turn north on Dunton, turn west on Euclid, and south on Chestnut. The parade then concludes at Memorial Park, where the Memorial Day Ceremony will take place at 11 a.m.

• Palatine's Memorial Day Parade will begin staging at 9:45 a.m. outside Hillside Cemetery at Smith Street and Cornell Avenue. American Legion Post 690 will conduct a brief ceremony inside the cemetery at 10 a.m., then the parade will begin at 10:15 a.m. at Smith and Hillside, and proceed to Community Park Veteran's Memorial at Wood Street and Northwest Highway, for a ceremony at 11 a.m.
• Rolling Meadows' Memorial Day Parade will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday. The parade will begin at the corner of Meadow Drive and Kirchoff Road, traveling west on Kirchhoff toward the Carillon Tower. A ceremony will follow at the tower after the parade at 11:30 a.m.
• Elk Grove Village Memorial Day Observance Ceremony will run between 10:45 and 11:45 a.m. on Monday. The event will take place at the Elk Grove Park District Pavilion, which is located at 1000 Wellington Ave. (gymnasium).
• Mount Prospect's Memorial Day Parade will take place at 9:45 a.m. on Monday The parade will proceed south from the Mt. Prospect Village Hall on Emerson Street to Lincoln Street, then east Lions Park, followed by a ceremony.

In Aurora, the city’s annual Memorial Day parade is the highlight of the holiday weekend. The procession is set to step off at 10 a.m. from the corner of Benton Street and Downer Place.

In Channahon, the Memorial Day Ceremony honoring Channahon's local military veterans will take place at Channahon Village Hall at 9 a.m. on Monday.

The annual DuPage County Memorial Day ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the DuPage County Government Complex, 421 N. County Farm Rd. in Wheaton.

In Elmhurst, the Memorial Day parade is planned for 9:30 a.m. Monday. It starts from Third Street, then head south on York Street to Second Street, veers east along Robert Palmer Drive through the underpass and west back to York Street, south on York Street to Church Street, west on Church Street to Prospect Avenue and north on Prospect Avenue past the Veterans Memorial. For more information, call the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce at 630-834-6060 or visit elmhurstchamber.org.

In Evanston, a ceremony is traditionally held at the veterans memorial at Fountain Square at Sherman Avenue and Davis Street in downtown Evanston.

In Frankfort, the annual Memorial Day ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Like in the past, the ceremony will be held by the Village, VFW Post 1493, the Hickory Creek Middle School band and orchestra, and Will County Chief Deputy State's Attorney Ken Grey.

The ceremony will be held at Breidert Green in downtown Frankfort. If it rains, the ceremony will be moved to the park district, 140 Oak St.

In Flossmoor, residents will gather at the traffic circle in downtown Flossmoor at 3 p.m. on Monday to honor those who have died in military service to the United States with a moment of silence and the playing of "Taps".

In Geneva, American Legion Geneva Post 75's event on Monday is the highlight of the three-day Memorial Day Weekend. The procession, featuring the color guard, local veterans, city officials, and Boy and Girl Scouts, will step off at 10 a.m. on Third Street.

In Glencoe, The Glencoe Historical Society and the village will honor village residents who died in service in the country at Veterans Memorial Park, 299 Park Ave., east of the train station next to Union Church. In case of rain, the event will be moved to the Takiff Center at 999 Green Bay Road.

In Highland Park, the city's annual Memorial Day observance will be held at 11 a.m. at the Highland Park High School auditorium, 433 Vine Ave., with local veterans groups and a tribute to veterans who have passed away.

Laura Joyce-Hubbard, the city's first poet laureate, will read a poem reflecting on her experience as a U.S. Air Force pilot who escorted fallen servicemembers home from war, and the Highland Park High School band is set to perform

In Homer Glen, the village’s annual Memorial Day ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at Marian Village, which is located at 15624 Marian Drive. The program will feature speakers, music and a 30-minute tribute, as well as coffee and cake, according to the village website.

In Lake Forest, a Memorial Day observance is planned for Market Square at 11 a.m., organized by American Legion McKinlock Post 264 in Lake Forest.

But first, Post 264 is organizing volunteers for a Memorial Day flag-raising at Lake Forest and St. Mary's Cemeteries. From 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning, volunteers will place flags in front of all veteran grave sites. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is also holding a commemoration ceremony at 1 p.m. Sunday at the entrance to Fort Sheridan Cemetery.

In Lake Bluff, a Memorial Day observance is planned for 9 a.m. at the gazebo on the Village Green.

In Lockport, the village will also hold a Memorial Day service, as well as a public dedication ceremony for its new Heroes Banner program on Monday.

The Heroes Banner program was launched in April by the City, the Lockport Summer Art Series and the Lockport VFW to honor the accomplishments of men and women from Lockport who have served in the military forces.

With 35 banners available, the banner program rapidly sold out, city officials said. Every purchase benefited the Lockport Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5788.

Minooka's Memorial Day Parade takes place at 10 a.m. The parade lineup begins at 9 a.m. at the Mission Bible Church, 412 North Wabena Avenue. The parade route ends at Veterans Park with a memorial service immediately afterward. The Minooka Memorial Day Parade is sponsored by the American Legion Post #1188.

In Mokena, The Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Monday at Pioneer Cemetery and is the highlight of the three-day Memorial Day Weekend — May 27-29 this year. The ceremony will be hosted by William Martin VFW Post 725.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place at the VFW at 19852 Wolf Rd. Local residents are welcome to go to the VFW for hot dogs after the ceremony, organizers said. There will also be a dedication for Roy Manor and Fritz Guendling as they are added to the Memorial Plaque at noon.

On Friday, local officials will also honor those who served and who made sacrifices for the country. The Hometown Heroes Banner Program was launched earlier this year to honor current and former residents of the community who have served or are currently serving our country in any branch of the military.

This year, 22 banners will be displayed for our Heroes representing each branch of the armed services. Veterans and current service members of World War I, World War II, the Cold War, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Conflict, the Persian Gulf War and the current Global War on Terror will be honored.

In Naperville, the city is set to unveil a monument dedicated to Gold Star Families in honor of Memorial Day. The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument dedication ceremony is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday at Veterans Park.

The monument was made possible via donations from community members and local organizations that include the Naperville Freemasons, Naperville Responds for Veterans, the American Legion Riders and the City of Naperville's Special Events and Cultural Amenities (SECA) Fund.

In Northbrook, the following events will take place:

At 10:30 a.m. Monday, the Northbrook American Legion Post 791 will be hosting the annual parade. According to the Village of Northbrook's website, a new parade route will start at Center Avenue and Cedar Lane, turn left onto Cherry Lane, and ends at Westmoor Elementary School. The parade will feature veterans, first responders, and local school bands, among others. Gather at the end of the parade for the national anthem, a welcome from Post 791's Commander, and a guest speaker.

In Oak Lawn and Hometown, Memorial Day will also be commemorated with events in each community. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 9701 S. Brandt Ave., Oak Lawn, will be holding a special service at 9 a.m. on Monday commemorating local military veterans who died after last year’s Memorial Day to the present.

Residents, veterans, and active military will start gathering at 10:30 a.m. by the Oak Lawn Veterans Memorial, 9427 S. Raymond Ave. (95th Street @ Raymond Avenue).

Johnson-Phelps VFW Post 5220 will mark Memorial Day with a 21-gun salute and ceremony beginning at 11 a.m.

The City of Hometown will be holding a Memorial Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Gather at the Hometown-Murray VFW Post 9773, 9092 S. Main St. Neighbors, veterans, and active military will walk as a group north to Patterson Park, 8780 S. Main St.. The ceremony will take place by the cannon.

In Oswego, the village’s VFW will host a parade followed by a luncheon to honor local veterans. The luncheon is planned at the Legion, 19 W. Washington St., after the procession.

In Orland Park, the village's annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday at the Village’s memorial, Ara Pacé — Place of Peace, located outside of Village Hall at 14700 S. Ravinia Ave. The ceremony will include the reading of the names of the five veterans that have been recently added to the Village’s granite wall that honors local military heroes and veterans.

The Village of Palos Park will hold a Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at 11 a.m. Residents will gather by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial on the village green located at 8901 West 123rd St. in Palos Park.

Palos Heights has a whole program planned for Memorial Day beginning at 11 a.m. at Memorial Park, 7607 W. College Drive.

The ceremony will open with the posting of colors by Orland-Palos VFW Post 2604. Angie Pope will sing “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Over in Palos Hills, Ald. Mike Lebarre (3rd Ward), is leading efforts to hang flags, banners, and other handmade items at Volunteer Park, which is located at 99th Street and 88th Avenue. There will also be a remembrance board where residents can sign their names or pen a note of thanks to a family member that served or veterans in general. The display will be up May 29 through June 4.

In Park Ridge, the 100th Memorial Day Parade will take place at 10 a.m. at Park Ridge City Hall, 505 Butler Place, Park Ridge.

In Plainfield, the village’s annual parade will step off at 10:45 a.m. May 29 from Ira Jones Middle School, which is located at 15320 W. Wallin Drive. As a result of the parade, the following roads will close from about 10:30 a.m. until the parade reaches the memorial, which police expect to be around 11 a.m.

• Wallin Drive at Ottawa Street
• Ottawa Street from Wallin Drive to Van Dyke Road
• Van Dyke Road at Ottawa Street

A wreath-laying ceremony, rifle salute, and band performances will occur following the parade.

In Skokie, local veterans posts, scouts, and the Skokie Police and Fire departments' honor guards will hold a Memorial Day observance at 11 a.m. on Monday at Skokie Village Green, which is located at 5127 Oakton St.

In Tinley Park, the village and Tinley Park Veterans Commission will host the annual Memorial Day ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Monday. The ceremony will be held at the Gen. Patrick E. Rea Events Plaza and will include patriotic music, a short program, a wreath-laying ceremony and a gun salute.

In Waukegan, The Memorial Day parade in Waukegan begins at 10:45 a.m. at the corner of Washington and Genesee streets and heads to Veterans Memorial Plaza at the southwest side of the intersection of Washington and West streets.

In Western Springs, the annual Memorial Day parade is set for 9 a.m. Monday, winding through central Western Springs. Allen James Lynch, a Medal of Honor recipient and an Illinois native, has been named as the grand marshal.

In Wheaton, the city’s annual Memorial Day parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday. The parade will start at the intersection of Hale Street and Union Avenue and make its way west on Union before turning south onto West Street. A memorial ceremony will be held at Wheaton Cemetery after the parade concludes.

During the parade, handouts and candy will not be distributed in an effort to honor those who lost their lives in battle. Residents who want to march in the parade should arrive at Wheaton Memorial Park by 9:30 a.m.

In Wilmette, the Memorial Day parade begins at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph School, 1740 Lake Ave., before heading east on Lake Avenue, south on Park Avenue, and east on Wilmette Avenue to Village Hall, where a memorial ceremony will take place.

In Winnetka, the Memorial Day parade and ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday at Village Green Park, 525 Maple St. The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. from the corner of Glendale and Elm Street, then heads east to the Village Green Park for a ceremony.