Midcoast Maine will join the nation Monday in marking Memorial Day with parades, prayers and celebrations. Here’s a look at what our local communities are doing to celebrate the holiday:
Bath’s parade will assemble at the Smith-Tobey American Legion Post 21 at 10 a.m. and is scheduled begin at 10:30 a.m., where participants will march from Congress Avenue to Lincoln Street. The parade will continue to Centre Street for the Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Soldier’s Monument, where Boy Scout Troop No. 21 will play taps. The parade will continue to Front Street and turn left on Linden Street where it disbands. A memorial service then begins at the Bath City Park and all are welcome to attend.
Brunswick/Topsham
This year’s Brunswick- Topsham Memorial Day Parade will line up in Topsham at 7 a.m. at Monument Place. Traffic at the Route 201 and Main Street intersection will close to traffic at 8 a.m. and a memorial service and wreath laying begins at Monument Place by the municipal building at 8:40 a.m.
The theme of the parade this year is “Remembering Pearl Harbor, 75 Years Later.” The parade will feature veteran, military, civic and community organizations, including the Maine Army National Guard Band and the Maine Public Safety Pipe and Drum Band joining local school and community bands.
The parade will start at 9 a.m. with the antique cars starting toward Brunswick.
The observance on the Frank J. Wood “Green” Bridge is scheduled for approximately 9:30 a.m. The parade will continue down Maine Street in Brunswick, concluding with observances at 11 a.m. on the Mall.
The public is invited to stay for that ceremony to join honor those lost in service to our country by the parade’s 2016 Grand Marshal Chick Ciciotte and a guest speaker, retired Rear Admiral Harry Rich.
Ciciotti served in the Air Force for 22 years in the Air Force before retiring in 1970. At that time he took up working with veterans and has never stopped. Ciciotte remains active in local and state veterans organizations and lobbies for veterans in Augusta. Rich, a Maine native, served in the U.S. Navy for 35 years. He began as a pilot in a transport squadron in the Pacific at age 17 and ended his career as a the commander of the Anti- Submarine Forces-Atlantic Fleet, overseeing stations including Brunswick Naval Air Station.
All events should conclude by noon. The parade committee asks the community to help choose next year’s theme and vote by visiting its website at memorialdaycommittee.org.
Dresden
The Lincoln County Historical Association will hold its 62nd annual observance of Memorial Day. The gathering begins at 11 a.m. Monday at the flag pole on the parade ground of the 1761 Pownalborough Court House in Dresden. Masonic Chaplain Bruce Alexander of Dresden, assisted by the local Revolutionary War Living History group, with camp followers and families, will lead the program of honor for our fallen soldiers.
After being called to order, the gathered will proceed up the woods road a few hundred yards to the Court House cemetery. Here, veteran soldiers of three wars will be remembered through spoken words and the placing of lilac blooms and white pine tassels upon the graves. Everyone will then return to the flag pole for the raising of Colors to full staff followed by a gun salute given by the Living Historians.
Those who attend can feel free to stay after the Memorial Day ceremonies to enjoy the grounds of the Pownalborough Court House.
Durham
On Monday, Durham’s fifth annual 5K and fun run to benefit American Veterans Post 13 will take place at 8 a.m. Registration forms must be sent or emailed to the town office or turned in the day of the 5k & Fun Run. Run registration forms and sponsor forms are available on the town website, at the town office, Get and Go, and Asselyn’s Garage. Visit the town website for more information.
Durham will hold a parade honoring veterans beginning at 10 a.m. The parade starts at Davis Road and runs south on Royalsborough Road, to the rear entrance of Durham Community School. Stops will be made at the Gazebo and at Sawyer Cemetery. There is a slide show of last year’s parade on the town website.
The Durham Community School PTA will host a Fun Fair after the parade, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Freeport
Freeport’s Memorial Day parade will form at Freeport High School at 9:30 a.m. The parade will continue past Town Hall, continuing down Main Street to School Street and will conclude at Memorial Park on Bow Street for a 10 a.m. memorial service.
Harpswell
Harpswell’s Memorial Day parade will begin at 11 a.m. at Lookout Point Road on Route 123 to Harpswell Center. There will be refreshments after at Centennial Hall. Prior to the parade, an observance and wreath throwing will take place by the American Legion Post 171 in Harpswell on Ewing Narrows Bridge at 10:15 a.m.
Lisbon
The Nelson-Conley American Legion Post 66 and American Legion Post 158 are coordinating a Memorial Day parade. The parade will start at Crafts on Route 196 at 9 a.m. and end at Coombs-Montfort Post 158 on Webster Street. There will be hotdogs, soda and chips for the children who are marching in the parade after. There will be a chicken barbecue at Post 158 for veterans and their families for $7 each.
Richmond
American Legion Post 132 in Richmond will have a Memorial Day parade and asks participants to gather at Richmond High School at 10:30 a.m. The parade will kick off promptly at 11 a.m. and travel down Main Street (Route 197) to the waterfront park where there will be a wreath laying ceremony and then two guest speakers will speak. The parade will end up back at the high school. There will be refreshments at the legion for parade participants.
Both guest speakers are Vietnam veterans — Roland Watier of Union and Bill Hindevier of Peaks Island. In the parade will be a Civil War contingent, veterans and the Richmond school band and local groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. All are welcome.
Earlier at around 7:30 a.m. a contingent of legionnaires including an Honor Guard will visit all of the cemeteries in town and one in Bowdoinham to conduct ceremonies.
Woolwich
Monday the Annual Woolwich Memorial Day Service starts at 7 p.m. at Days Ferry Congregational Church at 50 Old Stage Road.
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