Everyone Loves a Parade: Memorial Day Events in and Around Town

Who doesn’t love a hometown parade? Booming drums, flashing fire trucks and flag-waving boy scouts give locals a chance to come together and celebrate community.

Memorial Day parades also honor those that served their country— and in some cases gave their lives—protecting the freedoms Americans enjoy today.

“Memorial Day is a time to pay our respects to all who have served in the armed services and defended our freedom,” said Bedford Supervisor, Lee V.A. Roberts, who shuttles between all three parades with the Chief of Police, William Hayes. “It is incumbent upon us to remember those who have lost their lives and give thanks that their sacrifice has made our freedom possible.  We are forever in their debt.”

Here’s a run-down of Monday’s events:

Sponsored by: Bedford Hills Fire Department and Bedford Hills Lions Club

When/Where: Starts 9 a.m. Bedford Hills Elementary School on Babbitt Road.

Parade Route: Babbitt Road to Church Street BHCH, Main Street to the BHFD.

Ceremonies: Assemblyman Robert Castelli will speak and local boy scouts will perform a flag ceremony. Due to the fire house construction, concluding ceremonies will be held at the World War I memorial at the Bedford Hills Community House.

Sponsored by: Katonah American Legion Post 1275 and the Katonah Fire Department.

When/Where: Starts 10 a.m. sharp at the Katonah Fire Department

Parade Route: Katonah Fire Department down Katonah Avenue up Parkway to Lawrence Circle; after ceremony returns to fire house.

Ceremonies: Held at the Lawrence Circle WW I,WW II and Civil war memorials. At the end of the parade, the Katonah Fire Department bell is run honoring all veterans who were also firefighters in the Katonah Fire Department. Back at the fire house, ice cream will be served to the kids, courtesy of the American Legion, and the band Tappan Zee Bridgeman wil play.

Sponsored by:  Bedford Fire Department and Bedford Village Lions Club

When/Where: Starts 11 a.m. deat the Corner of Seminary Road and Pound Ridge Road

Parade Route: right onto Pound Ridge Road, (Route 172) to the Village Green.

Ceremony: Is held at the WW I, WW II, Korean, Vietnam and Gulf War memorials located at the flagpole on the Village Green. Dan Hollis, a former member of the fire department and lifelong resident of Bedford will serve as an honored speaker. The Lions Club will award prizes for the town's annual Bicycle Decorating Contest, which encourages kids to decorate their wheels. At the conclusion of the ceremony residents are invited to the BFD for light refreshments.

And for those Patch readers on the Lewisboro side of the school district, there are two parades:

Where/When: This American-Legion sponsored event starts at 11 a.m. at the Goldens Bridge Train Station.

Parade Route: Old Bedford Road to the Goldens Bridge Community House

Ceremonies: Following the parade of the Goldens Bridge fire deparment, local scouts and kids on bicycles,they will be held at the Bedford Hills Community House

Where/When: This parade gets underway at 12:15 p.m. at the south end of Lake Shore Drive, Truesdale Lake

Parade Route: The route follows Main Street up to the Town House

Ceremonies:  They will be held at the Lewisboro Town House on Main Street following the parade. Town officials, including Lewisboro Supervisor Charles Duffy and board member Frank Kelley, will give remarks and local scouts plan to lay wreaths.

For more information on Lewisboro's Memorial Day Races and Fair,