Whitemarsh Memorial Park will host its 65th annual Memorial Day Service

The upcoming weekend will bring a series of events honoring the fallen for Memorial Day.

In Ambler, the Whitemarsh Memorial Park will host its 65th annual Memorial Day Service on May 24 at 9 p.m. The service will include local Scout Troops and volunteers placing over 2,000 small flags on veterans’ graves in Whitemarsh Memorial Park’s Veterans sections.

According to Township officials, Horsham VFW Post 9788 & Auxiliary is inviting the public to the cemetery off Limekiln Pike and Horsham Road to honor those who served and sacrificed for our country.

On May 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the park will host a series of Memorial Day performances. At 9 a.m., Thom Moore, the Happy Bagpiper, will play in the Veterans Memorial Garden. At 11 a.m., The Hickory Brass Band, under the direction of Bob Wagner, will perform at the Tower Mausoleum. At 11:30 a.m., The Indian Valley HOG Annual Memorial Ride will start at the Limekiln Pike entrance.

At 12 p.m., a service will begin featuring guest speaker Tom Murt, former Pennsylvania State Representative, and a 4th-grade essay contest winner from Worcester Elementary School in Lansdale. At 1 p.m., The All Veteran group is scheduled to do a fly over and parachute jump. And from 1 to 3 p.m., Rita’s of Limekiln Pike will be serving Italian ice. Additional refreshments will be available at the main office.

Other Local Parades

The annual Pennridge Memorial Day Parade and Service will be held on May 24 at 9 p.m. The parade will begin at 7th & Market Streets, proceeding through Perkasie and concluding at Menlo Park, where a Memorial Service will begin around 10:15 a.m.

The parade will honor local veterans and members of the American Legion Hartzell-Crouthamel Post #280 and Sellersville Post #255, who will ride in a stunning showcase of vintage and military vehicles. Perkasie Police Chief, Robert A. Schurr, will lead the parade, which will feature the Sellersville Legion Color Guard, the Sellersville Army National Guard, and the 69th PA Irish Volunteer Infantry, who will fire rifle blanks at intervals during the parade.

The mayors of Perkasie, Sellersville and Silverdale will be joined by State Rep. Shelby Labs and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and marching bands from the Pennridge High School and Middle Schools. Parade watchers can cheer on local scout groups, youth groups, and civic organizations as well as Tails of Valor, Action Karate, the Pennridge Greenjackets, and the ever-popular Friends Horsin’ Around. Residents are encouraged to decorate bikes, scooters, wagons, and strollers, and dress patriotically in red, white, and blue to walk in the parade. Individuals wishing to join the parade should join the parade assembly at 8 a.m. at Perkasie Borough Hall, 620 W. Chestnut St.

Lansdale will hold its annual Memorial Day Parade on May 26 at 9 a.m. Kids of all ages are invited to parade committee in marching or riding up Main St. with either the Scouts or their patriotically decorated manually powered riding vehicle (tricycle, scooter, bicycle, unicycle, wagon, etc). All young children should be accompanied by an adult, either walking alongside or riding with.

The parade goes from Cannon Ave to Memorial Park and will be followed by a service in the park beginning at 10 a.m. All Scouts and riding vehicles will be meeting at 8:15 a.m. on Main St. between Cannon Ave and Mitchell Ave. Note: There is no cost to participate.

In Norristown, The Historical Society of Montgomery County will honor the service of soldiers and veterans interred at Historic Montgomery Cemetery at One Hartranft Avenue by laying wreaths at the monuments of General John Frederick Hartranft and General Winfield Scott Hancock as well as at the Memorial Rose Garden and the G.A.R. Zook Post #11 Plot.

The observance will be held on May 24 at 11 a.m. Local Boy Scout troops, Civil War descendents, local Masonic lodge members and others will assist in the wreath laying and program. Volley fire at each site will be provided byBaker Fisher Camp #101. There will be special activities for children in attendance.

Many participants will be dressed in period costumes. Sons of Union Veterans will conduct the Rose Petal Ceremony at the graves of Civil War soldiers at the Zook GAR Post. Children in attendance will be invited to assist in the Ceremony.

The Hatfield American Legion will host its annual Memorial Day Parade on May 26 at 9 a.m. The parade begins immediately after the wreath-laying ceremony at the Veteran Memorial at Market and Broad Street in Hatfield. The Memorial Day ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Free food and soft drinks will be available inside the Legion Post 933 after the ceremony.

The Upper Salford Township Historical Society will hold its annual Memorial Day Tribute at Upper Salford Park on May 26 at 7 p.m. The Society will pay tribute to deceased veterans and place flags around the Memorial Flagpole.