Williston Park, Mineola and East Williston will commemorate the sacrifices of veterans on Memorial Day with parades, ceremonies and the occasional race.
Williston Park will continue a decadeslong tradition with its annual parade and services, with veterans and various community groups marching through the village.
American Legion Post 144 will begin with a service at its headquarters at 9 a.m., Mayor Paul Ehrbar said. From there, the parade will march up Willis Avenue to Syracuse Street to Broad Street and then Hillside Avenue, before going to Park Avenue, Center Street and back up Willis Avenue to Village Hall.
Joining the parade will be a host of groups, including representatives from the Williston Park Veterans of Foreign Wars post, ladies auxiliary group, and Boy Scouts, along with elected officials and the Herricks band, Ehrbar said.
At Village Hall there will be a short ceremony, Ehrbar said, before participants head to the firehouse on Willis Avenue for a service.
“The significance of the day itself is why people should be out and supporting the services and the parade, which represents the deceased veterans, those who gave their lives in defense of our country,” Ehrbar said. “It’s a very important day in terms of the history of the United States.”
Neighboring East Williston will kick off Memorial Day with the 40th annual East Williston Memorial Day 5K race at 8:30 a.m. at Devlin Field, rain or shine. Awards will be given to the top three racers in categories broken down by age and gender.
There will also be a Lil Tykes Fun Run starting at 9:30 a.m. for children 6 and under with awards given to all participants.
A Memorial Day parade will form at 11 a.m. on Downing Street at the rear of the North Side School and begin at 11:30 a.m. A ceremony will then begin at noon on the Village Green.
The Rev. Marcus Tillery will deliver the invocation and Mayor Bonnie Parente will offer remarks before wreaths are placed at the war memorial and there is a military salute.
This year’s recipients of the Mayor’s Award will be past Mayor David Tanner and his wife.
If it rains, the ceremonies will be held in the East Williston firehouse.
Meanwhile, in Mineola, the annual Memorial Day Parade will step off at Wilson Park at 11 a.m. and proceed along Westbury Avenue, Roslyn Road, Jericho Turnpike and Marcellus Road before ending at Memorial Park.
There will be a memorial ceremony following the parade at about noon.
