Above: Residents are invited welcome to take part in the Town’s traditional parade and ceremony honoring Memorial Day. (Photo by Joao Melo)
The long weekend coming up is about more than barbeques and family fun. Southborough will be holding its traditional ceremony to honor soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. In advance of the holiday, volunteers will be placing fresh flags at veterans’ graves.
Veterans of VFW Post 3276 and American Legion Post 161 invite the community to participate in both.
Changing of the Flags
On Friday, May 26th at 6:00 pm:
Scouts and the residents of Southborough are invited to join us at Rural Cemetery to replace the flags on the graves of our fellow Veterans. There will also be a small observance to recognize Medal of Honor Recipient – Sgt. Osgood T. Hadley who is interred at Rural Cemetery.
For those unfamiliar, the Rural Cemetery is located at 11 Cordaville Road.
The Monday events begin on Monday, May 29th at 9:00 am:
The parade steps off from the Main St. Bank to the
The Trottier Middle School Band will be performing for us. Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Brownies are expected to march with us.
The ceremony at the memorial
We expect to conclude the Observances at ~1030.
Memorial Day Parade
On Monday morning, veterans, and local officials will march in the annual parade. Boys Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Girl Scouts, and the Trottier Middle School Band are all expected to march with them.
Participants for the parade should gather in advance in the Main St. Bank parking lot (corner of Rt. 30 and Newton St).
The parade steps off at 9:00 am, proceeding down Main Street, then to the Rural Cemetery, Old Burial Ground, Civil War Memorial and concluding at the All Wars Memorial. Most years, a large crowd of residents follow along.
Traditionally, at each cemetery/memorial a short ceremony is held in honor of veterans laid to rest and Southborough residents who died in wars. The observances are expected to conclude around 10:30 am.
Anyone with questions can contact VFW Commander Steve Whynot and American Legion Post Commander Dan Kolenda.
