Cities and towns around the state are holding Memorial Day parades and ceremonies to honor Connecticut's veterans and fallen troops.
Avon Memorial Day Parade
The parade steps off at Sperry Park at 11 a.m. and continues on a route along Route 44.
Bridgeport Memorial Day Events
The Veterans Council of Greater Bridgeport is holding the city's annual ceremony to honor the lives of American soldiers who died "while wearing the uniform of our country," city officials said. The council will raise and lower the flag to half mast at 9 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park located on Park Avenue between Eckart Street and Geduldig Street.
Mayor Bill Finch will host another Memorial Day ceremony at Pleasure Beach at 11 a.m. Water taxis will be available in the area of Central Avenue near Seaview Avenue to take people to the beach.
There is another ceremony at Seaside Park at 1 p.m. at the Soldiers & Salors monument, hosted by the council.
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Danbury Memorial Day Parade
The Danbury Memorial Day Parade will step off at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 25 at Kennedy Park. The parade will proceed to Rogers Park. After the parade, parachutists will land on the baseball field and a ceremonial service will take place at the Rose Memorial Garden.
East Hartford Veteran's Memorial Remembrance Ceremony
The ceremony will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 24 at Bicentennial Park. The park is located at the corner of Forbes Street and Scotland Road. The ceremony will feature the East Hartford Police Department color guard and guest speakers, along with Taps and a roll call for fallen service members.
East Hartford Memorial Day Parade
The parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. at East Hartford Middle School at 777 Burnside Avenue. The parade turns west on Burnside Avenue, south on Hillside Street and ends at Hillside Cemetery.
East Lyme Memorial Day Parade
The parade will step off Monday at 2 p.m. Route 156/Main Street will close to traffic at 1 p.m. between Columbus Avenue and Route 161/Pennsylvania Avenue. Traffic will be diverted to East Pattagansett Road, then to Hope Street and onto Route 161.
Fairfield Memorial Day Parade
The Memorial Day parade will begin at 10 a.m. in downtown Fairfield and will be held rain or shine. The parade kicks off on South Pine Creek Road and will travel east to Post Road and the library, then south along Old Post Road to Flint's Corner, east past the town green along Old Post Road and beyond South Benson Road.
A full list of Memorial Day events in Fairfield is available here.
Farmington Memorial Day Parades
The parade in Farmington started at 8:30 a.m. and there is another one in Unionville Center at 10:30 a.m.
Hamden Memorial Day Parade
The 79th annual Hamden Memorial Day Parade kicks off at 10 a.m. Monday at Hamden High School. The parade will travel northbound along Dixwell Avenue to the Memorial Town Hall. A wreath ceremony will be held after the parade at the Veterans' Memoorial in front of Hamden Middle School. The mayor and parade marshal will deliver remarks and wreaths will be laid at the memorial.
Madison Memorial Day Parade
The parade, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., will march from downtown Madison to West Cemetery. A ceremony at the town green flagpole will be held at 10:15 a.m.
Mansfield Memorial Day Parade
The parade will step off at 9 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Route 195/Storrs Road and Bassetts Bridge Road in Mansfield Center. The route proceeds northbound on Route 195 and down Cemetery Road before ending at the new Mansfield Center Cemetery, where a ceremony will be held.
The Mansfield Middle School Band and E.O. Smith Regional High School Band will perform, three volleys will be fired and Taps will be played to honor fallen service members. The parade then returns to Bassetts Bridge Road.
In the event of inclement weather, an abbreviated ceremony will be held at Mansfield Middle School's gymnasium at 9 a.m. Monday.
Middletown Memorial Day Parade
Middletown's Memorial Day parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday on Main Street. The parade will proceed down Main Street from St. John's Square to Union Street.
Washington Street/Route 66 will be closed between High Street and DeKoven Drive starting at 9:30 a.m. Traffic from the Arrigoni Bridge will be diverted down Hartford Avenue to Route 9. Police expect Main Street to reopen to traffic around noon Monday.
North Stonington Memorial Day Parade
The North Stonington Memorial Day Parade will kick off at 10 a.m. at the North Stonington Fairgrounds at 21 Wyassup Road.
Norwalk Memorial Day Parade
The Norwalk Memorial Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. Veterans Park in East Norwalk and proceed east on Van Zant Street and northbound on East Avenue. The parade will end at Norwalk Green.
Van Zant Street, East Avenue south of Route 1 and the Interstate 95 ramps at exit 16 will be closed from 10 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. Monday in light of the parade.
Old Saybrook Memorial Day Parade
A dockside naval ceremony with a rifle salute and wreath-laying ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. Monday, preceding the parade. The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. on Elm Street and will march to the Veterans Memorial Monuments. A memorial program will take place on the town green following the parade.
Suffield Memorial Day Parade
The parade will kick off at 9 a.m. at the Veterans' Memorial next to the Kent Memorial Library. The parade will march down Bridge and Main streets and will end at 10:30 a.m. A ceremony will take place afterward at the Veterans' Memorial.
West Hartford Memorial Day Parade
The West Hartofrd Memorial Parade will kick off at 10 a.m. Monday on Farmington Avenue at the intersection of Woodrow Street. The parade will then march east on Farmington Avenue, turn south onto South Main Street, then continue to Goodman Green, Burr Street and into the town hall parking lot.
A memorial service will follow the parade at the West Hartford Veterans Memorial at the corner of Farmington Avenue and North Main Street.
West Haven Memorial Day Parade
The procession will step off at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Captain Thomas Boulevard. The parade will then proceed up Campbell Avenue to Center Street.
The following roads will be closed during the parade: Campbell Avenue from Captain Thomas Boulevard to Center Street, Savin Avenue between Center and Main streets, Main Street between Savin and Campbell avenues, Center Street between Campbell and Savin avenues and Captain Thomas Boulevard between Washington Avenue and Altschuler Boulevard.
Westport Memorial Day Parade
The parade kicks off at 9 a.m. at the Saugatuck Elementary School on Riverside Avenue and ends at Parker-Harding Plaza. Memorial services will take place on Veterans Green after the parade.
If the parade is canceled due to weather conditions, memorial services will take place at the Westport Town Hall auditorium at 10 a.m. To find out if the parade has been canceled, call the Parks & Recreation Cancellation Line at 203-341-5074 or go to www.westportrecreation.com.
Wethersfield Memorial Day Parade
The Wethersfield Memorial Day Parade will step off on State Street at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 23. A ceremony will take place after the parade at the Village Cemetery on Marsh Street. Hartford Avenue to State Street will be closed to non-parade traffic beginning at 8:30 p.m. State Street will be close in both directions shortly before the parade begins. See the full parade route here.
