Springfield parade highlights Memorial Day events today

Volunteers were busy Saturday morning, May 18, 2024 placing over 3,000 American flags on the graves of service men and women interred in Ferncliff Cemetery for Memorial Day. Over 40 volunteers, including a large group from Werner Enterprises, placed flags on the central GAR (Civil War) mound, WWI section, WWII section and the Annex with more recent graves. The event was organized by Ferncliff Cemetery and Arboretum. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Volunteers were busy Saturday morning, May 18, 2024 placing over 3,000 American flags on the graves of service men and women interred in Ferncliff Cemetery for Memorial Day. Over 40 volunteers, including a large group from Werner Enterprises, placed flags on the central GAR (Civil War) mound, WWI section, WWII section and the Annex with more recent graves. The event was organized by Ferncliff Cemetery and Arboretum. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Several events and activities were scheduled over the weekend and today throughout Clark and Champaign counties in honor of Memorial Day, but the area’s biggest parade of the year is today.

The Springfield Memorial Day Parade will begin at 9 a.m. at Veterans Park and go the same path it has been the last few years. It will start at the bridge, go up Fountain to McCreight and wrap back around Plum to end at the park.

There are more than 110 groups and more than 3,000 people expected to participate, according to Parade commander Jon Stewart.

The grand marshal this year is Randy Ark, who is a retired teacher, veteran and activist for fellow veterans.

He was drafted into the Army in 1967, served as a combat medic, and left the Army in January 1971 when he had a three-month early out for college.

At Wright State University he obtained a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education. Ark taught for 33 years, including at South Vienna Middle School.

This year’s theme is Remembering Their Sacrifice.

The Exchange Club of Springfield will also be handing out over 5,000 flags to children at the parade.

For the latest updates and more information about the event, visit the Springfield Ohio Memorial Day Parade page on Facebook.

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