Memorial Day parade in Riverhead returns May 31 along with ceremony at WWI memorial

After the pandemic forced most events last summer to be canceled, life is slowly coming back to normal in 2021.

On Monday, May 31, residents can once again gather downtown to commemorate the memory of all the fallen service members on Memorial Day. A parade will begin at 9 a.m., lining up on Osborn Avenue and Pulaski Street. The route will run down to Main Street, stopping for a ceremony at the WWI Memorial.

The parade will proceed down East Main Street past the recently added Hometown Heroes Banners before making two final stops at St. John’s Cemetery and the Riverhead Cemetery.

At Calverton National Cemetery, the Avenue of Flags will be displayed throughout the grounds to honor the veterans and the flags will remain on display until June 7.

A gravesite flag placement will take place on Saturday, May 29 and pre-registered Veteran Service Organizations, Scout units and families will be participating. Volunteers are limited this year. For more information on gravesite flag placement, contact Frank Bailey at [email protected].

The cemetery will post photos of the flags on its social media channels.

“While we cannot currently hold large public gatherings, a wreath will be placed and Taps will be played to honor the sacrifice of those who have given their lives for our country and the service of all veterans, followed by a moment of silence,” according to executive director Anne Ellis.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is also launching new features on the Veterans Legacy Memorial site this month that allows friends, family and fellow veterans to honor any veteran interred in a VA national cemetery with photos, documents and longer length biographical sketches of their veteran. For more information, click here.