Memorial Day parade returns to Canandaigua. Here's what you need to know.
CANANDAIGUA — After a two-year absence because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Memorial Day parade in Canandaigua is returning.
Parade participants are asked to come to American Legion Post 256 by 9 a.m. Monday, May 30, when a formal Memorial Day program will begin. The parade will start at roughly 10 a.m.
Post Commander Lawrence Gamba said he and other veterans look forward to people in the greater Canandaigua and surrounding communities who will attend this parade to honor the fallen and remember the brave.
"Personally, the Memorial Day parade is the only time that the community gathers together to reflect the sacrifices of past generations that were sworn to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," Gamba said. "The freedoms we enjoy today are possible by every veteran who fought in the many wars that our republic has committed to. I hope that our community honors and remembers those that have fallen. The parade is a way to do this."
Canandaigua City Manager John Goodwin said the parade represents a return to a little bit of normalcy.
“It’s memorializing those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the country and our community, and it’s nice that we can come together for a parade and honor that,” Goodwin said.
The parade will step off at 10 a.m. from the Post, 454 N. Main St., and proceed south on Main Street to West Gibson Street. Marchers will turn right on West Gibson Street and proceed down to North Pearl Street. The parade will turn right on North Pearl Street and end at Woodlawn Cemetery.
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A small program will be held in the cemetery’s upper section of the Old Veterans Lot. Participants may observe the program from the lower fish bowl area.
Parking on the roadways will be allowed, but don’t park on the soft grassy shoulder of the road. There will be no parking on the access road on the lower level. The program should last 40 minutes. Pets are not allowed on cemetery grounds.
Each person who attends will attach a different meaning to the parade, Gamba said. For him, it's a way to remember the past and possibly not repeat the same outcomes in the future.
"I have seen over the last two years the division of our country and wonder if we had held these parades our country would be more understanding," Gamba said. "I know that in past years those lining the streets never asked each other if you were against or for a policy or person. Parades are what the American spirit is all about."
Shortly after the completion of the Woodlawn program, members of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 256 will hold a service at the end of the City Pier for veterans who were lost at sea.
Area groups that wish to be part of the parade are asked to contact Charlie Pelton at 585-734-5490.
This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Memorial Day parade returns to Canandaigua for 2022
