The annual Memorial Day parade will follow a new route this year, due to a street construction project in the city. This year’s parade on May 25 will begin at the elementary school and end at Memorial Field.
“It’s only for one year, so hopefully people can bear with us,” organizer Chad Trudell said.
The parade has traditionally started at Pine Grove Park on Sherman Street on the city’s west side, traveled through the downtown on Main Street, then ended at Memorial Field.
This year’s parade will be confined to the east side. Units will line up at Oconto Falls Elementary School, 415 Maria Volk Drive, beginning at 11 a.m. The parade is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m.
The parade route begins on Farm Road, then turns right on South Main Street, right on South Washington Street and right on East Central Avenue, ending at Memorial Field.
The revised route avoids the downtown section of Main Street, where the street is patched and bumpy because of utility work last fall. Construction is scheduled to begin on Main Street in August and be completed by Oct. 31.
Trudell acknowledged the 2015 route is not without its drawbacks.
“We realize we have some issues with the route we selected. There’s some spots where there’s not a lot of sidewalks,” he said.
He encouraged people to set their lawn chairs on the street itself in the area where sidewalks are scarce. The streets are wide enough to let the parade pass, he said.
Spectators are reminded to bring nonperishable goods to the parade because the Boy Scouts will collect along the parade route. All donations will be delivered to Kingdom Come food pantry.
The Memorial Day weekend celebration at Memorial Field includes carnival rides and a softball tournament. Saturday’s highlight is a fireworks show at dusk, and Sunday’s attraction is a 4 p.m. bean-bag tournament.
In addition to the parade, Memorial Day events include a car and truck show and pingpong drop.
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