This year’s theme is “Honor the Fallen Heroes.”
Parade Commander Jon Stewart said it’s great to be able to have the parade again this year.
“It’s definitely an event that a larger part of Springfield will attend,” he said. “It’s good to have it in person.”
The Grand Marshal this year is Myra Gaskins. She said she is excited about having the parade for the community and city of Springfield.
“It gives us the opportunity to go out and support and thank our veterans for the sacrifice they made,” she said. “It’s an honor and privilege to represent the U.S. military men and women who sacrifice their lives for our country.”
The parade took place in-person last year after being canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Gaskins said she thinks the parade will have a great turn out
“I think it will be a great turn out for Clark County and Springfield. People are looking forward to getting back to normalcy,” she said. “I’m looking forward to being a participant and being the Grand Marshal.”
Stewart said his dad, who passed away last year, started the event in the early 2000s and he helped him before taking over about five years ago.
“We’ve had a couple corporations help and donate supplies for the parade,” he said. “Especially Ride 1 Power Sports in Springfield and Matt Carl’s Heating and Cooling... anytime I need anything, they always help out anyway possible.”
For the latest updates and more information about the event, visit the Springfield Ohio Memorial Day Parade page on Facebook.
Here are some other events in Clark and Champaign counties happening this weekend:
North Hampton has several Memorial Day events planned for Saturday:
The North Hampton Lions Club Breakfast will be held from 7 to 11 a.m. at Asbury United Methodist Church, 104 E. Clark St., the new home of the North Hampton Lions Club. Donations will be accepted at the door. The breakfast will include hot pancakes with butter and syrup, sausage, orange juice, coffee, and milk. Dine-in or carry-out will be available. Handicapped accessible. Lions Club proceeds support local youth, health, and community programs.
The lineup for the parade starts at 2 p.m. in the south of the village and the parade starts at 3 p.m.; a memorial service will be held at the park after the parade; an ice cream social will be held after the parade at the Pike Twp. Fire House where food, drinks and ice cream will be sold; Care Flight will land around 4:30 p.m.; and Kate Hasting will play live from 6 to 7 p.m. behind the fire house, bring a lawn chair.
Catawba United Methodist Church will serve a drive-thru chicken noodle dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. The meal will consist of homemade chicken and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans, cookies, and drink with donations accepted. Outside seating will be available for those who wish to enjoy their meal in the outdoors.
The Enon Memorial Day Parade, hosted by the Enon VFW, will be held on Sunday. Line up is at 1 p.m. and the parade starts at 2 p.m. at Greenon schools and ends at the Enon Cemetery. For questions, call the Enon VFW at 937-864-2361.
The Terre Haute United Methodist Church, 5938 State Route 55 in Urbana, will observe Memorial Day on Sunday. Ice cream and cookies will be served in the front of the church beginning at 1 p.m. The Memorial Day Parade and observance will begin at 2 p.m.
Jarid Shank will deliver a speech titled “Honoring Sacrifice” in the cemetery. He is a Graham graduate and a Wright State graduate, is a veteran of the United States Army, served in Afghanistan and is a local historian.
For questions, contact Karen Stevens at 937-605-2065 or neilkarenstevens@gmail.com.
The Pleasant Township Memorial Day Parade will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the Village of Catawba. Any organizations, businesses or individuals interested in participating are welcome. For more information, contact Mandie Warner at 614-653-3953.
Graham Local School District’s Falconland Market, located in the second-grade pod at the elementary school, will be open from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
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