Memorial Day weekend parades, ceremonies and events in the Brockton area

BROCKTON —  Memorial Day is the unofficial start to the summer, with people celebrating the long weekend with cookouts and barbecues, family gatherings and going on vacation or to the beach.

But let's not forget to honor the fallen, as that's what the holiday is really about.

Americans will pause on Memorial Day Monday to pay tribute to the men and women who have given their lives defending their country.

We honor their memory by placing flowers and flags on graves and by watching or participating in parades.

In Brockton, this year's Memorial Day ceremony will honor U.S. Marine Corps. Veteran Matthew Flaherty, and U.S. Army Veteran Louis Tarantino.

At the conclusion of the Avon Memorial Day Parade on Saturday, there will be a cookout with hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, chips and potato salad. Ice cream and juice boxes will be available for children.

Following the commemoration at 10 a.m. Monday on the East Bridgewater Town Common, a family-style chicken barbecue will be held at the Commercial Club.

Here are the Memorial Day weekend parades, ceremonies and other events scheduled in local communities.

AVON

The parade will start at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 28, at St. Michael’s Church at 87 North Main St. and will proceed past the Avon Fire Station, down Route 28, by the Avon Town Offices (which will have seating for seniors wishing to watch the parade) and will conclude at the Avon VFW. At the conclusion of the parade, there will be a cookout with hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, chips and potato salad. Ice cream and juice boxes will be available for children. All parade participants and spectators are welcome to attend the cookout at the VFW. The parade participants will include the New Liberty Jazz Band, the Cosmo Legion Band of Brockton, the Old Colony Model T Club, the local Girl Scouts and Avon Youth Baseball, and many others.

BRIDGEWATER

A gathering will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, May 30, at the War Memorial on the common.

BROCKTON

The Memorial Day Parade will step off at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30, in front of the War Memorial Building, 156 West Elm St. The parade route will be West Elm Street, to Newbury Street, to Belmont Street, to Main Street, onto Crescent Street and marching up VFW Parkway to the City Hall Plaza, where there will be a ceremony. In the event of inclement weather, the parade will be canceled and a ceremony will be held inside the auditorium at the War Memorial Building, 156 West Elm St.

EAST BRIDGEWATER

The commemoration of Memorial Day will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday on the Town Common.  Following the ceremony, there will be a family-style chicken barbecue at the Commercial Club.

EASTON

The Memorial Day Parade will step off at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 30, from The Post Office at 300 Main St. (corner of Main and Washington streets). The parade will proceed down Main Street and turn onto Sullivan Ave. to head to Veterans Memorial Park, where the parade will end with a ceremony.  The Parade Marshall is Former POW and Easton resident, Captain George K. Wanat, U.S. Army.  The OAHS Marching Band, Scouts, and many other organizations will participate.

HALIFAX

Memorial Day parade and remembrance will be held on Monday, May 30. The parade will start from the Halifax Country Club at 9:30 a.m. and head toward Town Hall, 499 Plymouth St., with the formal ceremony starting at approximately 10 a.m.

HANSON

The parade will start at 9 a.m. Monday, May 30, at the Indian Head School, 720 Indian Head St.,  and continue down Liberty Street. The parade will end at Fern Hill Cemetery on High Street.

MIDDLEBORO

The parade steps off at 10 a.m. Monday at Town Hall. The ceremony will follow the parade at the War Memorial Park on Main Street.

PEMBROKE

The town’s Memorial Day parade will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, May 30, near Keegan Realty on Center Street and march to First Church at 105 Center St. The parade will be followed by a ceremony featuring the high school band. Former Marine and Pembroke Veterans’ Agent David McPhillips will speak.

PLYMOUTH

Plymouth will host its annual Memorial Day parade at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 30. Those in the parade will gather at 9 a.m. on Memorial Drive before walking toward the water and turning left onto Water Street, left onto South Park Street and left onto Court Street.

Opening remarks, a reading of the Gettysburg Address and the placing of a wreath at the World War II Memorial will take place in front of Memorial Hall. The parade will go south on Route A, stopping at the Korean and Vietnam memorials, the Town Brook Bridge World War I Memorial and the training green for wreath ceremonies. There will be a sea dedication ceremony at the state pier.

The Royal Canadian Legionnaires of Georgetown, Ontario, will be honored. Ceremonies will be at 10:30 a.m. in Memorial Hall in case of poor weather.

There will be free parking until noon. For more information, contact veterans’ services at 508-747-1620.

RANDOLPH

A Veterans Sunday Service will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 29, at the First Congregational Church UCC, 1 South Main St. A ceremony will be held at Oakland Cemetery at noon, and then followed up with a ceremony at Lindwood Memorial Park, 490 North St., at 1 p.m. in remembrance of Jewish veterans.

On Memorial Day, events area as follows:

Randolph Elks will have a ceremony at 8:30 a.m. at the Memorial in front of Town Hall.

Town of Randolph and Veterans Council Ceremony at 9 a.m. at the War Memorial, Featured speaker U.S. Army Col. Patrick McCarthy has numerous operational and combat tours, including two tours to Kosovo, two tours to Iraq, a tour to Qatar and Syria; and supported named operations in Africa.

After the ceremonies in Crawford Square, all units will form up to march to St. Mary’s and Central Cemetery down North Street. At 10 a.m., ceremonies held at Central Cemetery. At 10:45 a.m., ceremonies held at St Mary’s Cemetery.

Upon conclusion of ceremonies, all units will march to the Zaputus Ice Arena parking lot and depart from there to AMVETS Post 51 on AMVETS Lane for a barbeque and refreshments.

RAYNHAM

The parade route will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 28, at the Merrill Elementary School and proceed down Pleasant Street, through the four corners and along South Main Street. The parade will turn onto King Phillip Street and conclude at the Gazebo. Ceremony at 11:15 at Gazebo Park.

ROCKLAND

The town’s Memorial Day ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, May 30, at the Rockland Veterans Memorial.

STOUGHTON

The Memorial Day parade will form at 8:30 a.m. Monday, May 30, at the Public Works on Central Street and step off at 9 a.m.  The route will go from Public Works to the Holy Sepulcher Cemetery for two ceremonies, then to the Pearl Street Cemetery for a ceremony. The parade will then proceed to the Stoughton Town Hall for a ceremony and wreath laying at the Memorial Bell.  Ceremonies there will begin at 10:15 a.m.  Parade will proceed through Stoughton Square to Faxon Veterans’ Memorial Park for ceremonies at the two memorials. Parade will then proceed to Washington Street and on to Evergreen Cemetery for two ceremonies at the GAR Lot and the American Legion Burial site. A collation will follow at the VFW at 837 Washington St.

WEST BRIDGEWATER

The annual Memorial Day Commemorative Service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, May 30, at the War Memorial Park.

Staff writer Kathy Bossa can be reached by email at kbossa@enterprisenews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton Memorial Day weekend parades, ceremonies and events