Community Honors Heroes: Spirit of Princeton Memorial Day Parade Returns May 24

PRINCETON, NJ - On May 24, the Spirit of Princeton Memorial Day Parade on May 24,2025 Honors Members of the Military Services – a Celebration that Precedes Princeton University’s P-Rade

The parade celebrates members of the military services with a festive community parade, Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m., on the same day as the Princeton University Alumni P-Rade, commencing at 2 p.m.

The grand marshal and featured speaker during this year's parade is USMC Sgt Ret. Alfred Brennan, a former Marine K9 Handler.

When on deployment in 2010, he was severely injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) and lost his K9 partner Grief.

All residents – young and old and in between- are encouraged to wave their miniature American flags (provided at no cost by Spirit of Princeton) and greet the veterans and active members of the United States military services as they march down Nassau Street to Monument Plaza.

The parade will kick off at 10 a.m., rain or shine, from the staging area of Nassau Street and Princeton Avenue. Those who are marching should arrive at 9:15. a.m., at the Monument Hall parking lot and take the shuttle bus to the parade staging area.

The parade route is one mile on Nassau Street ending at Monument Plaza, where a brief ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on the steps of Monument Hall. The celebration ends by noon.

In addition to the veterans, participating community groups include:

• Princeton Police Department
• Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad
• Princeton Fire Department
• Princeton Council members (mayor and council members)
• MacGregor Pipe Band
• American Legion Post 218
• Princeton Cranbury Chapter Sons of the American Revolution
• Princeton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
• Raiders Drum & Bugle Corps
• Princeton Lodge # 38 Free and Accepted Masons, Crescent Shrine Mini Car Unit
• Colonel Ogden’s First NJ Regiment
• 5th Pennsylvania Regiment
• Spencer’s Additional Continental Regiment
• Trenton ROTC; Boy Scout Troop 43
• Princeton Girl Scouts
• Princeton Little League
• Burlington City Marching Band
• Princeton Active Circle
• Mercer County Chapter of Sunshine Foundation.

Princeton Battlefield Society will continue the Memorial Day commemoration with "A Day of Remembrance Program," at 1 p.m., to be held at the Princeton Battlefield State Park.

Residents then are welcomed back to the center of Princeton to watch Princeton University’s alumni parade (the P-rade) that kicks off at 2 p.m. at Princeton University’s FitzRandolph Gate and then wends its way through the campus.

The Memorial Day parade and ceremony are sponsored and implemented by the Spirit of Princeton, a charitable non-profit group of local residents dedicated to bringing the community together through a variety of civic events, including the Memorial Day parade and ceremony, Flag Day ceremony, and the Veterans’ Day ceremony. Donations to The Spirit of Princeton are encouraged to ensure the future of these community events. See the website for information on how you can "Get Into The Spirit" by donating.

For further information, please call: 609-430-0144 or check website:http://www.spiritofprinceton.org