WEST MICHIGAN, — A number of communities will hold Memorial Day parades and events to honor those who gave their lives for their country. They are listed in chronological order.
The Greater Muskegon Memorial Day Parade starts at 9 a.m. with a vintage plane flyover and then heads from Morris Ave near 2nd Street to Clay Avenue at Hackley Park.
Further down the Lakeshore in Grand Haven, the parade will start at 9 a.m. It will travel along Washington Avenue and end with a memorial service at Waterfront Stadium. Another shorter ceremony will follow that one at Veterans’ Memorial at Y Drive and Harbor.
In Saugatuck, the annual parade starts at 9 a.m. downtown.
The American Legion in Rockford will host the parade that begins at Memorial Park and the Rockford Community Cabin, and heads through the center of town at 9 a.m.
The American Legion Caledonia Memorial Post #305 will also host Memorial Day Ceremonies at the following cemeteries: Alaska at 9 p.m.; Blain 9:45 a.m.; Dutton 10:30 a.m.; Holy Corners 11:15 a.m.; and Caledonia at noon.
In Jenison, the 9 a.m. parade will travel along Baldwin Street from 20th Avenue to Cottonwood Drive; a memorial service will follow at the Georgetown Township Cemetery.
In Zeeland, the parade route starts at 9 a.m. on Main Avenue at Centennial Street, heads west to State Street, south to Central Avenue and east on Central Avenue to Maple Street. A ceremony at Lincoln Street Cemetery will follow.
In neighboring Holland, the parade is set for 9:30 a.m. and will head from Eighth Street and Central Avenue to Columbia Avenue, then south to 16th and east to Pilgrim Home Cemetery. A brief ceremony at the cemetery will follow.
Douglas’ Memorial Day Parade kicks off downtown at 10 a.m.
In Hudsonville, the Memorial Day service at City Hall/Veterans Park starts at 10 a.m. It will feature the Civil Air Patrol, Mayor Van Doeselaar and local dignitaries.
In Lowell, the annual parade begins at 10 a.m. and travels along Historic Main Street, turning north on Washington Street, and ending at Oakwood Cemetery.
Also at 10 a.m. in Ionia, WWII paratrooper and medic Duaine Pinkston is the Grand Marshall for the parade that begins at the Ionia Armory on Main Street.
Middleville’s parade begins at 10:30 a.m at McFall Elementary and heads east on Main to downtown.
Muskegon’s Lakeside District is the site of the Lakeside Memorial Day Parade, which starts at 10:30 a.m. It begins at Lakeshore Drive and Bourdon Street and heads to Lakeside Cemetery on Crozier Ave.
At noon, Walker holds its parade, which starts at noon on Lake Michigan Drive between Lincoln Lawns and Saint Clair.
In the afternoon, the Fruitport Lions host the 2 p.m. parade which will begin and end at Fruitport Middle School. It’s part of Old Fashioned Days.
And at 7 p.m., Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll, the Lee High School Band and the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Honor Guard will lead the community during a memorial service at Veterans Memorial Garden on DeHoop.
Finally, on Saturday May 30th, Grand Rapids will host a Memorial Day Parade at noon. The parade in downtown Grand Rapids will have a new route, stepping off at Monroe & Lyon. The parade will then head south on Monroe, southeast to Monroe Center, south briefly on Division and east on Fulton to end at Veterans Park.
