Memorial Day Parade, Services Set for Monday
By Editor at May 26, 2024 | 6:30 pm | Print
The New Britain Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department will be hosting the 2016 Memorial Day Parade in honor of all the brave men and women who have served and those who are currently serving in the United States military.
Mayor Erin E. Stewart stated, “The City of New Britain is proud to continue our tradition of honoring thesacrifices and contributions of our servicemen and women through our annual Memorial Day Parade. It is our honor and solemn duty never to forget those sons and daughters who have given their lives so that we might live ours in freedom.”
Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Patrick Dorsey added that, “Memorial Day is not only a day to honor veterans who died in service, but also to remember veterans and their families who have served or are currently serving, in our communities today.”
Veterans Commission Chairman Peter Scirpo commented that, “Memorial Day means that we should take the time to think of those who gave everything for this beautiful country we are blessed to live in. We should also remember and be thankful for the families who supported those men and women who left everything behind. The families that were left behind will never be the same and are as important as the men and women we honor on this day. In between the cook outs and parades, remember the somber facts of why this day is so important.”
Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Director Erik Barbieri noted that: “Hosting the Memorial Day Parade is always such an exciting and fun day for the entire community as we honor our Veterans and those who died for our freedom. Let us all try and remember those sacrifices, not just on Memorial Day, but each and every day.”
The New Britain Memorial Day Parade will take place on Monday, May 30 beginning at 6 p.m. The Parade will begin at the top of Broad and Burritt Streets. The line of march is East on Broad Street for 1.5 miles downhill to South on Main Street for 0.7 miles past the reviewing grand stand by T.D. Bank just past Central Park to the dispersing point at Franklin Square in front of the New Britain Courthouse.
The reviewing grand stand and bleachers will be located in front of T.D. Bank right across the street from the “pocket park” between the CCSU ITBD Building and the New Britain Police Station.
The Parade features many local Veterans Organizations and their respective Auxiliaries; local, state, and federal elected officials, local youth organizations, the New Britain Police, Fire and EMS Departments, five school marching bands including the New Britain High School Golden Hurricanes as well as the Slade, Pulaski, HALS Academy and DiLoreto Middle School Bands, two youth and four adult Fife and Drum Corps, two clowns named Valentine and Jingles, an entertaining stilt walker named Amazing Andy, the Sphinx Temple Motor Patrol, Cyclists, Temple Guard Unit, and False Alarmers, and many other local organizations.
The Memorial Day Services are commemorative ceremonies that recognize
and honor the men and woman who served in the United States military at various war memorials and landmarks throughout the city of New Britain.
The first service takes place at Fairview Cemetery, 120 Smalley Street in New Britain, at the Veterans Section on Thursday, May 26 beginning at 6 p.m. This Service always takes place on the Thursday before the nationally celebrated holiday on Monday (the last Monday of May).
The second set of Memorial Day Services will take place on Monday, May 30 as follows:
8:00 a.m. General John Patterson Memorial on East/Allen Streets
8:30 a.m. Spanish American War Memorial at Willow Brook Park, 635 South Main St.
8:45 a.m. Vietnam Memorial at Willow Brook Park, 635 South Main St.
9:15 a.m. Sherrod E. Skinner Memorial on Corbin Ave./Lincoln Streets
9:45 a.m. Israel Putnam Stone at Walnut Hill Park, 200 Grand St.
10:00 a.m. World War I Monument and Louis Gentile Salute to Women Memorial at Walnut Hill Park, 200 Grand St.
10:30 a.m. General Casimir and Tadeusz Kosciuszko Memorials at Pulaski Park, Broad/Burritt Streets
11:00 a.m. Civil War, World War II, Korean and Vietnam Memorials at Central Park, Main/West Main Streets
11:30 a.m. 65th Infantry Regiment Park-The Borinqueneers (U.S. Army in WWI, WWII, and Korea) at Beaver St. / North Side corner near LaSalle St. / Washington St. / Farmington Ave.
11:50 a.m. Belvidere Area World War II Memorial at Campbell Square, Stanley/Hillcrest
12:15 p.m. Captain Brian S. Letendre U.S.M.C. Park at Pendleton Rd./Sunnyslope Dr.
Services include placing of wreaths on each Memorial along with invocations, cadences, and taps. In the event of severe rain or inclement weather on Thursday, May 26th, the Cemetery Services will be held indoors at St. Jean’s Hall across the street from Fairview Cemetery at 209 Smalley Street at the same start time of 6 p.m.
