Memorial Day Parade in Indianapolis

Indianapolis' Memorial Day festivities start with the 500 Festival Parade on Saturday May 24. The parade is set up to celebrate the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500 and drew about 300,000 people last year, according to 500 Festival CEO Kirk Hendrix.

The 33 starting drivers of the Indianapolis 500 ride in the parade as well as floats, marching bands, specialty units, large balloons and costumed characters. The parade starts at noon and is scheduled to end by 1:30 p.m.

The two-mile parade route starts heading south from the intersection of North and Pennsylvania streets, turns west on Washington Street, then north again at Meridian Street all the way to the parade's end at 11^th Street. Street parking can be found near the route and Indianapolis has many nearby parking garages. For more information on parking downtown, visit http://www.indydt.com/parkingdatabase.html.

Emmy-award winning actress Patricia Heaton, best known for her role as Debra Baron on Everybody Loves Raymond, will be the grand marshal.

Bleachers line sections of the route with about 20,000 bleacher seats for sale through Ticketmaster and at AAA Hoosier Motor Club locations with prices starting at $13.50. Last year the parade sold out for the first time in 20 years, according to festival officials, thanks in part to Colts Quarterback Peyton Manning acting as grand marshal and actor Patrick Dempsey's appearance.

For more information on the parade, visit www.500festival.com. The parade is followed by the running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

The day before the parade, on Friday May 23 at 11:00 a.m., the 500 Festival hosts an open-air memorial service honoring Indiana soldiers who died in service in the past year. The families of the fallen soldiers are personally invited but the event is open to the public.

The service is held on the north steps of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at the heart of the city. Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United State Northern Command, will be the keynote speaker. A ceremonial flyover and a rider-less horse procession will be part of the service. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard are scheduled to attend.