Memorial Day Parade to be Held One Week Earlier

Lawrence Township’s 2012 Memorial Day parade, originally set to be held on Saturday, May 26, has been rescheduled and will now take place one week earlier on Saturday, May 19.

The mild winter is to blame for the change, according to Steve Groeger, Lawrence Township's superintendent of recreation.

As in years past, he explained, the Lawrence Township public school district built three “snow days” into their 2011-2012 school year calendar. Because this winter has been so warm, with very little snow, all three of those days remain unused.

According to the school calendar, if no emergency closing days are used by then, all township public schools will be closed on May 23, 24 and 25 – the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday leading up to the holiday weekend.

Schools are already scheduled to be closed on Memorial Day itself, Monday, May 28.

“The concern was, with the kids being off those three days prior to the holiday, a lot of people are going to be away. Some people may take off that Monday and Tuesday and make it a 10-day break,” Groeger said. “The concern then was that we weren’t going to get the same kind of participation from the kids and the [parade] volunteers.”

So the decision was made to hold the parade a week earlier, when more people will be around to take part and help Lawrence Township remember the men and women who have died over the years while serving in the armed forces of the United States.

As it happens, Groeger noted, Armed Forces Day will be observed across the nation on Saturday, May 19.

The parade will begin at 9 a.m., an hour earlier than the traditional 10 a.m. start time, with Memorial Day ceremonies being held immediately following the parade at the Veterans Park and American Legion Post 414 on Berwyn Place.

The earlier start time is necessary because another event is scheduled to be held at Post 414 later that day, Groeger said.

That event – a “Support the Troops” picnic and car/bike show sponsored by and – will take place 1 to 6 p.m. With show registration and admission fees benefiting the New Jersey National Guard Family Readiness Council, the event will feature live music, food, beer, door prizes and a 50/50 drawing.

Groeger said additional information about Lawrence Township’s rescheduled Memorial Day Parade, including details about the grand marshal and other participants, will be released soon.    

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