Memorial Day observances taking place this weekend
May 24—Memorial Day ceremonies will take place from Saturday to Monday this holiday weekend. After a lengthy wait since 2019, the City of Lockport will host a Memorial Day parade on Sunday, May 26.
Unlike other parades throughout the year, this one will be "solemn" said Stephanie Thurston, commander of VFW Post 2535. There will be no candy thrown from firetrucks with loud noises and literature handed out by any organization. Instead, it will be a quiet procession for those who have died in war.
Across eastern Niagara, other municipalities will be gathering to place wreaths at gravesides and march in parades to honor the dead.
CITY OF LOCKPORT
Organizers from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the Navy-Marine Club, The American Legion and the Elks Club have joined forces to offer a schedule of events throughout Sunday, May 26.
Starting at 8:15 a.m. interested participants will leave the VFW Post 2535 at 112 Caledonia St. and head to St. Patrick's Cemetery where a wreath will be placed at 8:25 a.m. At 8:35 a.m. another wreath will be placed in Glenwood Cemetery. Consecutive wreath placements will occur at Outwater Park at 8:45 a.m.; Ida Fritz Park at 9 a.m.; Grossi Park at 9:15 a.m.; Summit Park at 9:30 a.m.' Altro Park at 9:45 a.m. and Veterans Park at 10 a.m.
A formal Memorial Day ceremony will take place at Cold Springs Cemetery at 11 a.m.
At noon parade vehicles will line up at Veterans Park and by 1 p.m. the parade will start down East Avenue into Main Street to Pine Street and end at Canal Street.
From 2-5 p.m., there will be an afterparty which will include three food trucks, a beer tent, and the Lockport Community Band, the Niagara Falls High School Band and Madigan Lang on bagpipes.
MIDDLEPORT
The Clute Phillips American Legion Post 938 will host its annual parade and firemen's service at noon Monday.
The parade route will begin behind the village hall, 24 Main St., and will continue through Church and Vernon streets before culminating at the veteran's monument at the intersection of Park and Main Streets.
NEWFANE
Wayne Michalak, owner of DW's Juicy Clam Shack in Olcott, will be hosting a wreath-laying ceremony at the Civil War statue on Main Street at 10 a.m. Saturday
Guest speakers will include Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti, Newfane town supervisor John Syracuse, Newfane American Legion Post Commander Ricci Hoffer and Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association president Chris Oliver
The Newfane American Legion Post 873 is hosting its annual Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday at Corwin Cemetery on Lockport-Olcott Road
"This year we will be highlighting the members of the Army, Army Air Corps, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard that participated in D-Day, 80 years ago this June," post adjutant Pamela Rider said.
SOMERSET
The Herbert W. Carr American Legion Post 425 of Barker will host its annual Memorial Day service at the Town of Somerset's veterans monument next to the town hall, 8700 Haight Road, at 10 a.m. Monday.
Guest speakers will include U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, state Assembly member Mike Norris and Niagara County Legislator Shawn Foti.
Barker Boy Scout Troop 26 will lead the presentation of colors and the Pledge of Allegiance.
WILSON
The Martin F. Jennings American Legion Post 836 will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony at Greenwood Veterans Memorial Park on Park St. Monday at 10 a.m.
Thomas Beilein, a Vietnam War veteran and retired Niagara County sheriff will be the featured guest speaker.
"The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard will honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country," post commander Gary Pettit said.
Katie Martin's White Doves of Niagara will be released in honor of all fallen heroes. The ceremony will be dedicated to legion members Jim Muscoreil, John Johnson, John Frelschlag and Gary Greenwald, who died over the past year.
The legion will then hold a flag raising and taps at the Wilson Historical Society Fair, 641 Lake St. at noon.