Memorial Day in a Small New England Town

Memorial Day is a very celebrated and special day in my small New England town. Until I moved here, I had never experienced a celebration like this and now it draws me back each and every year. Our Memorial Day Celebration is truly a holiday that honors veterans in a true sense of the word.

My first small town New England Memorial Day happened by complete chance. It all started when I heard some distant music, and as I looked outside to find the music's source, I saw many of my new neighbors and visitors hurrying towards the Town Common. It seemed as though everyone was interested in this mystery, so I joined this throng of people. Now it should be noted that a throng in my town means about twenty people as twenty people walking by my home at any one time a substantial number of people in this town. In any case, I too went towards the Town Common with a few questions. And, what I thought would be a few minutes of my time, became a few hours learning how to truly honor our veterans and celebrate Memorial Day.

"It's Memorial Day!" was the immediate response of my new neighbors a bit incredulously when I asked what was happening. Of course, I knew that it was Memorial Day, but people seemed shocked, and looked at me as though I had two head. Then I asked them where they were going and as they continued hurrying, they said "to the parade and festivities - of course!" And the ball started rolling from there.

Everything about this Memorial Day celebration was new and different to me. As I approached the Town Common, I saw that there were indeed, many, many people of all ages with balloons, ice cream, frisbees, small American flags and lawn chairs surrounding the North Common area that held all the town's War Memorials. This was more people than I had ever seen in this town in one place. The music was getting louder and louder and the parade had become visible as I was told to stay put by a few advisors. They told me that the parade would encircle the Common and end up where we were basically standing. And from this vantage point, it can be said that I had never experienced a Memorial Day Parade quite like this one before either.

The Parade was composed of a very interesting assortment of participants. First, the flag bearers from the local Veterans' group carried the American flag attired in very fancy uniforms, followed by all the town's officials, the Community band, in their first performance after a long winter's nap, playing the theme songs of each branch of the U.S. military and honoring the ten veterans that followed thereafter. Everyone was cheering and clapping wildly and calling people's names in recognition. The remaining paraders were generally anyone who wished to be in the parade including many red, white and blue decorated girl scouts, boy scouts, bicyclists, dogs, llamas, the ROTC unit from the local high school, a baton twirler or two, all the tee ball teams in uniform, some horses and their riders, the town's fire fighters and ambulance corps, ending with every vehicle owned by the town including fire trucks and ambulances with their sirens. It was quite a parade as I was astonished at the number of revelers. As they stopped at the Common, the paraders lined up around the War Memorials surrounded by the spectators for what I learned was the more formal, but even more moving part of this Memorial Day Celebration.

This Memorial Day ceremony was very formal, and yet very informal too. The band played the National anthem and everyone sang along to be followed with the the Pledge of Allegiance. There was a reading of those veterans who had died over the last year, a long winded talk by a politician of course, a performance by the ROTC corps, a few songs by the band again, and then came what everyone in the audience was waiting for. It began with the laying of the wreathes at each war monument including the monument honoring those who served in the "War of the Rebellion." I learned at this time that the Civil war is known as "The War of the Rebellion" in my town. Then two local grammar school children read "In Flander's Field" and "The Gettysburg Address" which many seem to know by heart here. Then the ceremony ends with a three gun salute, a heart rendering playing of Taps amid complete silence, before the Flag is raised from half staff to full staff and the band, once again, breaks into the National Anthem with more cheering from the crowd.

Picnics and cookouts are the words of the day after this memorable ceremony. Essentially everyone disbands and go on their merry way to their own private celebrations. Even with my first experience, some new found friends invited me over for their impromptu gathering. Some people have planned their outings for weeks I learned, but many would simply call friends and get together for the remainder of the day. Over the years I have learned that picnics and cookouts happen regardless of the 90 degree heat or the snow flurries too.

My town's Memorial Day Celebrations and the subsequent cookouts has brought a depth of meaning to the words "Memorial Day" that were previously lost on me. This day's event does not set to negate the horrors of war, or to incite war for its own sake, but to simply honor those who have served, and are presently serving our country in the hopes of keeping our democracy with all of its foibles and issues, alive, and developing for a better future for all.

The general schedule of events in my town are as follows:

8:00 am - Honor Guards go to each of the town's 17 cemeteries to place flags at all veterans' grave sites. There is a 3-gun salute at each cemetery.

10:00 am - The Memorial Day parade assembles at the local elementary school.

11:00 am - Parade begins and travels down to the Town common to waiting crowds and the Memorial Day Ceremony.
Parade participants include anyone who wants to participate.

11:15 am till whenever- The Memorial Day Ceremony and wreath laying to honor war veterans past, present and future, during this moving, telling, sad and happy celebration of Memorial Day.

Whenever - The picnic or cookout that follows with family, friends and neighbors.