Memorial Day Parades & Observances

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, which was a day to remember those killed in war by placing flags and flowers on their grades. In 1971 it became an official federal holiday.

Communities have scheduled a variety of events to remember those killed in war and honor veterans throughout the week but most parades are held on Monday.

Springfield Observance

12:00 p.m., Friday, May 23, ceremony at steps of City Hall and Veterans Monuments located at Veterans Way, across from City Hall. The public is invited to attend.

Wilbraham Observance

You are cordially invited to this year’s Town of Wilbraham’s Memorial Day Ceremony held on Sunday, May 25 at 11:00 a.m. at the Crane Park Veteran Memorial across from the intersection of Springfield Street & Main St.

Brimfield Parade 

2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 25, Memorial Day Services at the Brimfield Common. Parade to follow.

Hadley Parade 

2 p.m. Sunday, May 25, parade begins at the American Legion, 162 Russell Street (Route 9). Parade route from the Legion heads west on Route 9 and turns right up West Street. A brief ceremony will be held around the West St. Common to the General Hooker Monument.

Lenox Parade 

Monday, May 26. The parade will begin at 8:00 a.m. at  Veterans Memorial Park on Walker St.  It will  proceed to St. Vincent dePaul Church for a Mass for our deceased and living veterans at 8:30 a.m. Following the Mass, the parade will continue through the village ending at Veterans Memorial Park where concluding services will be held.  

Longmeadow Observance

9 a.m., Monday, May 26, Memorial Day Service on the Town Green.

Pittsfield Parade 

9 a.m. Monday, May 26. The parade will start at the intersection of Fenn and Allen streets, will proceed to North Street, and head north to Wahconah Street and then to Pittsfield Cemetery. A ceremony will follow at the cemetery.

Amherst Parade 

9:30 a.m. Monday, May 26, on the corner of Spring Street and Boltwood Avenue. The group shall proceed up South Pleasant Street, turn right onto Triangle Street, and finish at the War Memorial Pool (located in front of the Amherst Regional High School). Program at The War Memorial Pool will include guest speakers and a performance by the Amherst Chorale.

Southwick Parade

10:00 a.m. Monday May 26. The parade route will begin at the Southwick Plaza and continue down College Highway to the Town Green.

Agawam Parade

10 a.m. Monday, May 26, parade beginning at Agawam Middle School and Agawam Town Hall and march down Main Street to Veterans’ Green. Ceremony will follow. In the event of rain, the ceremony will take place in the Junior High School auditorium at 10:30 a.m.

Northampton Parade 

10 a.m. Monday, May 26, parade starting in Florence section on Trinity Row and proceeding to the Park Street Cemetery ceremony at 11 a.m.

Holyoke Observance

10 a.m. Monday, May 26, ceremony Holyoke War Memorial Building, 310 Appleton St.

Ludlow Parade 

10 a.m. Monday, May 26, parade beginning on the corner of Winsor and Worcester streets.

Westfield Parade 

Westfield Veterans Services announces a new route for the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 26, 2025.  The parade will begin promptly at 10:30 a.m. Participants will march from City Hall down Court Street toward the center, turning right onto Broad Street, and right onto West Silver Street to Parker Memorial Park for the Memorial Day ceremony.

West Springfield Observance

Monday, May 26, the day’s events will begin with a gathering at 6:45 a.m. at the Vietnam Veterans Bridge, which connects West Springfield and Agawam off Front Street. The ceremony will start promptly at 7:00 a.m. and will include brief remarks in honor of those who served and sacrificed. The Town’s official Memorial Day Ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. outside Town Hall,  located at 26 Central Street in West Springfield. The ceremony will begin with the reading of those killed in action. 

East Longmeadow Observance

10:30 a.m. Monday, May 26, ceremony starting at East Longmeadow High School, 180 Maple St. There will be wreaths, raising a new American Flag, and Military Honors.

Easthampton Parade

Monday, May 26, the parade will commence at 10:30 AM, starting at the intersection of Clark Street and Cottage Street. From there, the procession will turn right onto Union Street, followed by another right onto Main Street. The parade will continue around the rotary on Main Street before making a left turn onto Payson Lane and concluding with a final left turn onto Park Street at the Emily Williston Library. Immediately following the parade, a ceremony will be held at the Park Street Veterans Memorial, which is located next to the library.

Williamstown Parade 

In Williamstown, the Memorial Day parade and commemoration will take place on Monday, May 26. The parade will begin at 10:45 am, with marchers meeting at the bottom of Spring Street. The route will be up Spring Street, then west on Main Street to Field Park.

Chicopee Observance

11 a.m. Monday, May 26, there will be an annual Memorial Day ceremony with the wreath laying at the Veterans Memorial Plaza in front of 1st Sgt. Kevin A. Dupont Memorial Middle School at 650 Front Street.

Ware Parade 

Please join us for the Memorial Day Parade, Monday, May 26th starting at 1:00pm on Maple Street.

 

Memorial Day: This federal holiday is celebrated the last Monday in May, Memorial Day is the holiday set aside to pay tribute to those who died serving in the military.

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that Decoration Day should be observed on May 30. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country. The passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971 by Congress made it an official holiday.

Veterans Day: This federal holiday falls on November 11 and is designated as a day to honor all who have served in the military. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918.

Nov. 11 recognizes the month, day and time the guns fell silent on the Western Front during World War I. The carnage left millions dead, destroyed cities, scorched countrysides and caused deep-seated resentments that led to World War II.

In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress — at the urging of the veterans service organizations — amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.