Memorial Day Events 2023 / Williamstown.com

Below is a list of Memorial Day parades and ceremonies that will be updated as the information becomes available; only starred entries are confirmed. All events are on Monday, May 29, unless otherwise noted. Holiday closings can be found here. Please note that confirmed events are marked with an asterisk; those not marked are based on past observances.

*Adams
The parade will step off at 10 a.m. from the Memorial Building and conclude with the traditional ceremony at the Maple Street Cemetery. The usual route will be followed: Columbia Street to Hoosac Street, Hoosac Street to Summer Street, Center Street to Park Street. Lineup begins at 8:30.

The American Legion Post 160 Honor Guard will participate. Music will be provided by the Hoosac Valley High School band and the Berkshire Highlanders. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Adams Fire Station.

Adams American Legion Post 160 will make its 90th pilgrimage to the Mount Greylock Veterans Memorial on Sunday, May 28, 9 a.m. There will be a ceremony and firing squad and the laying of a memorial wreath in the rotunda. Following the ceremony, breakfast with be following in the lodge.

*Becket
The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. at North Becket Cemetery, ending at Ballou Park for ceremonies at 11. Lineup begins at 10. Reception to follow at Federated Church.

*Cheshire
Parade steps off from the School Street at 1 p.m. and will include five floats this year; children wishing to ride their bikes in the parade should meet at Cheshire Elementary School by 12:30. Decorate the bikes with red, white and blue and wear a helmet. The Hoosac Valley High School band will march as will the Cheshire Little League, ACS Softball players, several banners, some surprises, and of course, the Shriners.

A ceremony will follow at the memorial at Town Hall. Five students have been selected to read their essays on "What Does Memorial Day Mean To Me." They will be accompanied by the Selectmen, state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. John Barrett III.

*Clarksburg
Peter A. Cook VFW. Post 9144 will hold its annual Memorial Day services at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 28, on the front lawn of Town Hall on River Road in Clarksburg. Coffee and doughnuts will be served immediately following. Joe Bushika will be leading the program.

*Dalton
The parade steps off at 9:30 from the corner of North and Main Street to the Main Street Cemetery for a ceremony at the Mound of the Unknown Dead at 10 a.m.

Participants include will include local and state officials, veterans groups, color guards from the VFW and American Legion, Boy and Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies, Explorers, Nessacus Middle School band, sheriff's department honor guard, cheerleaders, and Fire and Police departments.

*Egremont
Begins at 12:30 p.m. at the South Egremont fire station, and the parade marches to the village green, where a short ceremony will be conducted.

*FloridaThe
The parade will begin at noon at the Adrian J. Poirot War Memorial gazebo.

Area veteran groups will not present a Memorial Day parade this year. They noted declining participation among veterans in recent years as influencing their decision to suspend parade activities.

"We are grateful for the service of our men and women, and their surviving families, who have given the greatest sacrifice to our nation," said Selectboard Chair Stephen Bannon. "While we will miss our annual parade downtown and in Housatonic, we encourage our town residents to remember the significance of this day in our nation's history."

*Lanesborough
The parade will start at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 28, and conclude with a ceremony at Center Cemetery. it will include greetings from the town, a keynote address, the playing of taps and a 21 gun salute by the Dalton Rifle Team. A reception will follow.

Lenox
The parade will begin at noon on Monday at the Church on the Hill and then proceed to the War Monument for a ceremony and conclude at St. Anne's Cemetery. Any veterans wishing to march should be at the Church on the Hill by 11:45. Veterans who may need a ride can contact Sean Ward at 413-822-4343.

Lenox Dale
The parade sponsored by the Lenox Dale Fire Company will begin at 8 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park on Walker Street and will proceed to St. Vincent de Paul Church for a Mass conducted by the Rev. Msgr. John Bonzagni, pastor, for deceased and living veterans at 8:30. The parade will then continue through the village back to the park, where concluding services will be held.

*North Adams
Parade starts promptly at 9:30 at the American Legion and marches to the Veterans Memorial, where the ceremony will take place. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be moved to the American Legion.

The keynote speaker will be state Rep. John Barrett III. American Legion Post 125 Cmdr. Mitchell Keil will be master of ceremonies, Mayor Jennifer Macksey will bring greetings and the Rev. David Anderson of First Baptist Church will give the prayers. The Gettysburg Address will be given by Keira LaCasse, daughter of Elisabeth Salerno and Chad LaCasse of North Adams and recipient of the George O. Angeli Award.

The Drury band will play selections and Noah Wilhelm and Kaylee Lescarbeau will play taps and Dennis St. Pierre and Ed Briscoe will lay the wreath.

Parade participants include city officials, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 996, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 54, American Veterans Post 100, American Legion Post 125, Sons of the American Legion Post 125, U.S. Navy Armed Guard Association, Drury High School band, Boy and Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies, the VFW, American Legion and AMVETS auxiliaries, and North Adams Ambulance Service and any member of the military past or present who wishes.

Participants are asked to be at the American Legion at 9; coffee and doughnuts will be available beginning at 8:30.

*Pittsfield
The parade begins at 9, proceeding from City Hall to Fenn to North and Wahconah streets, then to Pittsfield Cemetery for the ceremony and will include veterans organizations, the Pittsfield High marching band and the Taconic High drum line, local and state officials, the Police Department honor guard, Fire Department, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and Pittsfield elementary children.

The keynote speaker will be Mayor Linda Tyer, accompanied by her father, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Lawrence J. Casey, and her stepmother, retired Air Force Col. Pamela R. Casey. The master of ceremonies is Fran Tremblay, the chair of the Berkshire County Veterans Coalition and the officer of the day is Tyrone Belanger. The names of Pittsfield veterans who passed away over the past year will be read by Jim Clark and Amanda Bates of the Veterans Services Department.

Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) will televise the ceremony on CityLink 1303 and PCTV Select available at PCTV.org. The ceremony will also be available on Roku and Apple devices, and the PCTV Facebook page.

Monterey
Parade begins at 1 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, followed by refreshments at the pavilion. A ceremony will be held at the park at 10:30 a.m.

Otis
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 29, at noon at the Veterans Memorial at the town library. Prior to the ceremony, a small group of veterans will visit each cemetery in Otis and Sandisfield to pay respects.

Marchers will assemble at the Richmond Firehouse at 7:30 a.m. and begin the march up Route 41 to the school, where a selectman will offer remarks at about 8 a.m. followed by a wreath-laying ceremony. The school's marching band will play for the parade and ceremony and the third-grade singers will perform at the school.

Sheffield
March begins from the village green in Ashley Falls at 8 a.m. with observances at the Clayton Road cemetery; refreshments to follow at Trinity United Methodist Church. In case of rain, the ceremony will be inside the church.

*Stockbridge
Benediction, taps, firearms salute for veterans at the town and St. Joseph's cemeteries begin at 11, will include a riverside ceremony for those who died at sea at 10:45; the parade steps off at 12:15 from Town Hall. Ceremonies will conclude at old Town Hall at 12:45 with guest and student speakers and music by the Berkshire Hillsmen. All veterans encouraged to march; refreshments will follow.

West Stockbridge
No parade this year. Wreath-layings will be held at the Williams River Bridge at 8:30 a.m. and at the cannon at 8:45; a ceremony will follow at 9 at the War Memorial at Town Hall. The American Legion Post will distribute ice cream tickets after the ceremony.

Williamstown
The parade begins at 11 a.m. at the bottom of Spring Street marches to Field Park (intersection of Routes 2 and 7), where a traditional ceremony with guest speaker Wayne Soares will take place to honor fallen veterans.