Plans Being Made For Arlington Heights Memorial Day Parade, Ceremony

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Plans are in motion for Arlington Heights’ annual Memorial Day parade, which typically attracts about 3,000 spectators who line the 1.25-mile parade route to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the U.S. military.

Parade organizers have announced that this year’s parade will take place on May 29 and the route will again run between Village Hall and Memorial Park, which is located at the intersection of Chestnut and Fremont streets.

As part of the event, all U.S. military veterans – regardless of whether they reside in Arlington Heights or not- are welcome to participate in the parade. Veterans are welcome to “fall in” with one of the local veterans' organizations or may join the veterans who join the parade, organizers said.

Rides are available to veterans who wish to participate and who cannot get to the parade route on their own. If veterans need transportation, they are asked to email Greg Padovani at greg.padovani@gmail.com to reserve a seat.

Those wishing to participate in the parade should fill out an application to do so. Applications are due on May 22 and the application should be returned by mail or by fax to Greg Padovani, the Veterans Memorial Committee Chairman. Applications may be mailed to 915 N. Belmont Ave., Arlington Heights, IL 6004. Emails may be sent to Padovani or faxed to (312) 896-5863.

There is no charge to participate in the parade although donations are welcomed to the committee’s GoFundMe effort. The parade is set to set off at 9:30 a.m. and the Memorial Day ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., organizers said.

At the end of the parade, the city will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony remembering those who gave their lives while in military service. The ceremony includes honoring Arlington’s Fallen Heroes, the 59 veterans from Arlington Heights who died while serving in the military between the Civil War and the war in Afghanistan. The ceremony will also include the reading of the list of those veterans who have died over the past 12 months.