The Capital Region commemorates Memorial Day
CAPITAL REGION, NY (WRGB) — ALBANY
Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Joint Veteran’s Committee Chairman Mark Rosenzweig announced the City of Albany 2023 Memorial Day Parade will take place on Monday, May 29, 2023. The parade will step off from the corner of Central Avenue and Ontario Street at 9:30 am, proceed east on Central Avenue, and continue east on Washington Avenue to Hawk Street. There will be a traditional Memorial Day service and a wreath laying in Lafayette Park at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Gold Star Families Memorial immediately following the parade. This year’s Grand Marshal is John Wands Sacca. If the parade is cancelled due to inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the Albany City Hall rotunda. ADA access available on the Corning Street entrance to City Hall.
HOOSICK FALLS
The Hoosick Post #40 American Legion, Hoosick Falls Memorial Day Parade will take place on Monday, May 29th. At 10:00 AM. Join us as we honor the men and women that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. A ceremony will take place directly after the parade of remembrance in Wood Park. If you would like to enter this year’s parade contact Kevin O’Malley at 518-894-5035. Or email hoosickkid@gmail.com. Marchers, Antique and Classic Cars, Tractors, Floats and Bands are welcome.
NORTH ELBA
The John Brown Farm State Historic Site, with the Volunteers at Fort Tribute, and in cooperation of The Sons of Union Veterans, the Town of North Elba and independent scholar Amy Godine, will remember North Elba resident William Appo Jr. who sacrificed his life in the Civil War. Directly after the ceremonial wreath laying at the Appo Family plot grave at 10 a.m.,, celebrants are invited to the John Brown Farm Lower Barn. Amy Godine will discuss other Black Adirondackers who, like Appo, fought in white regiments for the Union notwithstanding laws that excluded them; the Appos and their Adirondack world; and why this commemorative marker for Private Appo is only going up now. Godine is the curator of the Dreaming of Timbuctoo exhibit in the Upper Barn at the John Brown Farm, produced by John Brown Lives! Her history, The Black Woods: Racial Justice on the Adirondack Frontier, will be released by Cornell this November.
RENSSELAER
The Gerald O’Neil Post and City of Rensselaer Announce the 2023 Memorial Day Parade. The Parade be held on Sunday, May 28. Opening Ceremonies will begin at 1:00pm at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Forbes Avenue, and the Parade will step off at 2:00pm. The Parade will begin at Washington Avenue and Forbes Avenue and will turn left at Third Street, right at Partition Street, left onto Broadway and left at Third Avenue. The Parade will end at the intersection of Third Avenue and Walker Street.
SARATOGA NATIONAL CEMETERY
Saturday, May 27, 2023, at 11 a.m., the Department of Veterans Affairs Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery will host a solemn Memorial Day ceremony, accompanied by speeches, musical interludes, keynote speaker, the firing of a military rifle volley, a cannon salute, the playing of Taps, and a moment of silence. Posting of colors by the La Salle Institute color guard, National Anthem, Civil War Cannon Salute, Decoration Day reenactment, poem by the 2023 Poppy Queen, soloist musician, ringing of the USS Saratoga’s Ships bell, WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam War special guest, Rifle Salute and TAPS by the Saratoga National Cemetery Honor Guard, and Keynote Speaker, Master Sergeant, John Leavitt, US Army, Retired.
SOUTH GLENS FALLS
The South Glens Falls Memorial Day Parade will be held on May 26, 2023, along Main Street in South Glens Falls. The parade will step-off at 6:00 p.m. at the intersection of John Street and Main Street area, proceeding north and ending with a memorial service at the South Glens Falls Veteran’s Memorial Park at the end of the parade between 7 and 7:30 p.m. The service will include an American Legion wreath-laying ceremony to recognize each of the foreign wars and words of remembrance from Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner. American Legion Commander Pam Ostrander will commence the ceremony and Father Tony Childs from St. Michael’s Catholic Church will provide the benediction. Congressman Paul Tonko will also march and participate in the ceremony. The South Glens Falls High School marching band and Galloway Gaelic Pipe Band will perform at the ceremony. This year’s Grand Marshall is long-time South Glens Falls resident Wayne “Beanie” Bruce. Beanie served as an Air Force Sergeant from 1967-71, as a Saratoga Sheriff Deputy for over seven years, and the South Glens Falls Police Department for almost thirty years.
ST. JOHNSVILLE
St. Johnsville American Legion Post 168 hosts its Memorial Day Parade at 9:30 a.m. A Memorial Service at Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Park will follow the parade. All Veterans are invited to march or ride in the parade. We provide the rides. The Legion is seeking owners of convertibles to drive those veterans who can’t march.
TROY
The annual Veterans of Lansingburgh Memorial Day ceremony at Oakwood Cemetery will take place Saturday, May 27, 2022, beginning at 9 A.M. at Oakwood Cemetery’s Veteran’s Memorial Circle. More than 2,000 flags will mark the graves of veterans buried at Oakwood Cemetery, the final resting place for veterans of every war fought by Americans. Members of Veterans of Lansingburgh, the 125th New York Regimental Association, Inc. and the Col. George L. Willard Camp #154, Department of New York, Sons of Union Veterans of The Civil War, the Friends of Oakwood Cemetery, and members of the public will be on hand to mark the occasion. Following the ceremony, the Veterans of Lansingburgh will lay flags on the 250+ graves in Oakwood Cemetery’s Soldiers Plot.
WATERFORD
The Town of Waterford is proud to continue our Memorial Day Parade tradition. The Parade steps off at 7:00pm on Wednesday May 24th, and will take place along the traditional route from Grace Street in the Northside neighborhood, along Saratoga Avenue to Broad Street and finishing with a Memorial ceremony at Soldiers and Sailors Park. The parade will feature local Veterans and members of VFW Memorial Post 5800, American Legion Post 235, local civic groups and youth organizations, marching bands, as well as members and equipment from the Waterford, Northside, and Halfmoon-Waterford Fire Departments, and Waterford Rescue Squad. The public is encouraged to show their support of our Veterans and celebrate along the route, as well as join our Veterans and local elected officials as we reflect and remember the sacrifices of those who gave their lives in service to this great nation at the ceremony immediately following the parade. The Town is pleased to announce a local Vietnam Veteran, Mr. Theodore “Ted” Cervine as Grand Marshall of this year’s parade.
WATERVLIET
The Watervliet Memorial Day Parade kicks off Monday, May 29, at 10 a.m. at Watervliet High School. A ceremony will follow at Veterans Memorial Park. This year's Grand Marshall is Watervliet's own Sgt. Joseph A. Belokopitsky. The parade will leave the High School (12th Ave) heading east on 19th Street to 2nd Avenue. From 2nd Avenue, the parade will head south towards Veterans Memorial Park (2nd Ave @ 16th Street) concluding at Veterans Memorial Pool.
