Here's where to find Memorial Day parades and ceremonies in and around New Bedford
The first Memorial Day was observed on May 30, 1868 when General John A. Logan, the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, declared the day be used to remember the over 620,000 soldiers killed in the Civil War. Back then it was called Decoration Day and it was always celebrated on May 30.
It wasn’t until 1968 when the U.S. government passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, putting major holidays on Mondays so that federal employees could have a three-day weekend.
For the last several decades, the day is still set aside to honor fallen soldiers from all wars and is usually marked with memorial services at various cemeteries or war monuments. There are also parades where patrons can wave their American flags, listen to bands play military music, and get together with family and friends for cookouts.
Here's what's going on this Memorial Day weekend on the SouthCoast.
New Bedford
The New Bedford Memorial Day Parade forms at the intersection of Hathaway Boulevard and Parker Street and steps of at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, May 30. The parade will march East on Parker Street to County Street, then turn left and head North on County Street. The parade will turn right heading East on Pope Street, where it will take its final right turn into Clasky Common Park. A service will be held at the reviewing stand at the conclusion of the parade. This year’s service will include the reading of the Gettysburg Address, Logan’s Orders and roll call of New Bedford’s veterans who have died. Family and friends of veterans who have died may bring a flower to the service and place it at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in remembrance.
This year’s parade is being put together in a joint effort between the City of New Bedford, the New Bedford City Council and the New Bedford Veterans’ Advisory Board as well as the Veterans’ Services Department. If the parade is canceled there will be a Memorial Day service at the Fort Taber Community Center, 1000 S. Rodney French Blvd. at noon.
Annual Fishermen's Memorial Day Service begins at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30, at Pier 3 in New Bedford. The procession will leave the Seamen's Bethel at 9:30 a.m. and will head down to Pier 3 for the 10 start. If it rains, the event will be held inside the Seamen's Bethel at 10 a.m.
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Fairhaven
Fairhaven’s Memorial Day Parade steps off at the intersection of Main and Center streets at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30, and proceeds north on Main Street to Riverside Cemetery. There will be a ceremony in the cemetery at the Civil War monument with participation from military and veterans' groups and others. The event is coordinated by the Fairhaven Veterans Services office.
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Freetown
Lakeside Family Festival begins Friday, May 27, from 6 to 11 p.m. The festival continues on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. and concludes on Monday, May 30 from noon to 5 p.m. The festival is located on Route 18 (157 Middleboro Road) in East Freetown on the St. John Neumann Parish grounds. Carnival rides, food, car show, music, flea market and more.
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Dartmouth
Memorial Day Parade starts at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 30, stepping off at the Town Landing, and heading over the bridge, and left onto Elm Street. It ends at the WWI monument at the corner of Elm Street and Russells Mills Road. It will stop for small ceremonies on the bridge, Elm Street Cemetery, and the WWI monument.
10K Ruck & Food Drive, to bring awareness to and advocate for the prevention of Veteran suicide, begins at 9 a.m. at Apponagansett Park, 77 Gulf Road, and steps off with the town’s Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30. In lieu of a registration fee, donations of canned goods, non-perishables and cartons of eggs are being requested to benefit the Veterans Association of Bristol County Food Pantry. Register to run here.
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Rochester
The Rochester Memorial Day Boat Race on the Mattapoisett River will take place on Monday, May 30, starting at 8:30 AM at Grandma Hartley’s Reservoir, Snipatuit Road, in Rochester and finishing at the Mattapoisett Herring Weir at River Road and Route 6.
Middleboro
The Memorial Day Parade steps off at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30, from Town Hall. There will be a memorial ceremony at Middleborough Memorial Park in front of Town Hall.
Marion
The Marion Memorial Day remembrances and procession begins at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 30, at Music Hall,164 Front St. and continue north to Front Street, then proceeding to the Veterans’ Memorial at Old Landing. Former Marine Jack McLean, author of “Loon: A Marine Story,’’ will be the guest speaker.
Wareham
Friends’ Annual Rubber Duck Race takes place at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 29, at Tihonet Canal, A.D. Makepeace Company, Tihonet Village, 150 Tihonet Road. Registration from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Buy one race duck for $5, 6 for $25, 13 for $50 or 25 ducks for $100. The rubber ducks are dropped into the canal and float along the water until one crosses the finish line. Proceeds go to the Friends of the Wareham Free Library.
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This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Memorial Day parades, events: New Bedford, Fairhaven, Dartmouth area
