By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — The North Reading Co. of Minit and Militia will host the town’s traditional Memorial Day Parade and ceremonies on the Town Common and at the town’s cemeteries on Monday, May 26.
Once again this year, the parade will start after the Memorial Day ceremonies on the Town Common. The order of events was reversed for the first time in decades last year.
The public is also invited to the early morning ceremonies at each of the town’s three cemeteries and the IRP Blue Star Memorial (see schedule below).
DECORATED BICYCLE CONTEST
Children are invited to participate in the annual decorated bicycle contest and then ride in the parade with all the marchers! Get out your Red, White and Blue patriotic pride and use your imaginations! Judging by Town Moderator John Murphy will commence at 9:45 a.m. All contestants will gather at the front steps to the Edith O’Leary Senior Center at the top the Town Common. All of the kids will be invited to ride their decorated bikes in the parade with the marchers so be sure to return to the Bow Street side of the common to line up at 10:45 a.m.!
CEREMONY DETAILS
The traditional ceremonies on the common will begin at 10 a.m., led by master of ceremonies Richard Stratton of the Minit and Militia.
The presentation of the colors will be done by the North Reading Police Color Guard and the award-winning NRHS marching band will open with the Star -Spangled Banner. Other patriotic songs will be played as part of the ceremony.
VSO TJ Tedeschi will introduce the guest speaker, Admiral Walter Massenburg. An ALS interpreter will be present to provide interpretation.
Stratton will read the roll of honor and members of the North Reading VFW will lay wreaths at the memorial markers on the top of the common as two buglers play Taps. The Minit and Militia will fire musket volleys. Deacon Tony O’Brien of St. Theresa’s Church will provide the invocation and benediction. Pending their availability, both Sen. Bruce Tarr and Rep. Brad Jones have been invited to speak.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Memorial Day marching units will assemble on the Bow Street side of the Common starting at approximately 10:45 a.m. and the parade, with Honorary Parade Marshals Paul and Pat Fillmore leading the procession, will step off at 11:15 a.m.
The parade will follow the traditional route, passing the library, turning left onto Park Street, turning right at Nan’s Cafe, right onto Mt. Vernon Street, right onto Haverhill Street, and right onto Park Street at Ryer’s, to head back to the common and passing the reviewing stand in front of the library. Refreshments will be served at the Senior Center for participants.
PUBLIC INVITED TO CEMETERY SERVICES
Times for the early morning services at the town’s cemeteries, hosted by the North Reading Minit and Militia, are: Riverside Cemetery on Elm Street at 7 a.m.; Harmony Vale Cemetery on Chestnut Street at 7:45 a.m.; Ipswich River Park Blue Star Memorial at 8:30 a.m.; and closing with services at the Park Street Cemetery at 8:45 a.m.
At each ceremony there will be opening remarks, prayer, roll of honor, firing of three volleys by the Minit and Militia and Taps by NRHS buglers Ivan Deiko and Alexina Sepke.