Hayes birthday celebrations wrap up with October events

FREMONT - The year-long celebration of President Rutherford B. Hayes' 200^th birthday will be wrapping up with three notable events next month at Spiegel Grove.

On Oct.1, there will be a "reverse parade," with a wreath-laying at the President’s Tomb, and dedication of a tree to Civil War soldiers from the U.S. Colored Troops, who had ties to Sandusky County.

The reverse parade through Spiegel Grove will start at 1 p.m. at the Hayes home. In a reverse parade, you walk around the parade, which is stationary.

“It’s a fun concept that we think those attending will enjoy,” said Kristina Smith, the marketing and communications manager at the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums. “The idea of the reverse parade was an idea from the birthday celebration committee at Hayes and to my knowledge, we have never done one of these in the past.”

Reverse parade participants will travel from float to float

Grand Marshal Rutherford B. Hayes, a re-enactor, will be leading the stroll around Spiegel Grove to view the floats and highlight key moments in President Hayes’ life.

Paolo DeMaria, a retired State Superintendent of Public Instruction for Ohio, will be portraying Rutherford B. Hayes. DeMaria has appeared at other events at Spiegel Grove as the President and has been doing so for over five years.

The floats will evoke a traditional parade with music, candy, and people in costume. The parade will last about 45 minutes.

After the festivities, there will be an ice cream social on the lawn, funded by the Hayes Presidential Library and Museums.

The annual wreath-laying at the tomb will occur around 1:45 p.m. Military representatives sent by President Joe Biden will lay a wreath at the president’s tomb for his 201st birthday, on Oct. 4.

During the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Matthew Baker, commanding general of the 88^th Readiness Division, U.S. Army Reserve, and Hayes Presidential Executive Director Christie Weininger will speak, according to a press release.

Chaplain Maj. Daniel Hamman of the 302 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve, also will participate. Specialist Mindy Strahl, bugler of the 338^th Army Reserve Band, U.S. Army Reserve, will play “Taps,” and local veterans will give a gun salute, the release noted.

Wreath-laying will honor the birthday of Hayes

“Each year the President of the United States sends a wreath and a contingent of the United States military to conduct the wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb of the president, on either their birthday or date of death,” said Weininger.  “We always choose President Hayes’ birthdate.”

The parade, wreath laying, USCT dedication, and ice cream social are free and open to the public.  No reservations are needed.

For more information visit rbhayes.org.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Hayes birthday celebrations wrap up with reverse parade, other events