GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — Memorial Day is Monday, May 27, and final preparations are underway for Memorial Day parades and ceremonies across West Michigan.
In Grand Haven, a full day of activities has been planned, including a parade, multiple memorial ceremonies and a special Memorial Day show from the Musical Fountain.
The events are being put on by the American Legion Post 28, VFW Post 2326, and the City of Grand Haven.
The parade will begin at 9 a.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church near the corner of 6th Street and Washington Avenue. The parade will finish at Lynne Sherwood Waterfront Stadium, where a ceremony will immediately begin following the parade's conclusion. Part of that ceremony will be honoring Gold and Blue Star families, some of whom will be in attendance.
After the Waterfront Stadium ceremony, members of the American Legion Post 28 will head to veterans monument at the Grand Haven Central Park for another ceremony. Following that, there will also be another ceremony at Lake Forest Cemetery to honor the Grand Army of the Republic.
Ret. Navy Chief Michael Thurber, who is part of the American Legion Post 28, said it's important to remember those who gave their lives on Memorial Day.
"Well Memorial Day is our opportunity to remember those who have fallen, those on active duty while they were serving," said Ret. Navy Chief Michael Thurber. "It's completely different than Veterans Day, and I think it's important that we separate those two, because those people paved the path for all of us, they gave the ultimate sacrifice, they actually signed their blank check to the United States."
All events are free and open to the public.
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