Record Roundup: How and when to observe Memorial Day on the North Shore

As the long weekend approaches, many North Shore communities are preparing for upcoming parades and ceremonies to mark Memorial Day on Monday, May 29, and honor lives lost in service of the U.S. armed forces.

The weather for the long weekend looks warm but wet. Temperatures are forecasted to be approximately 70 degrees, with rain likely from Friday through Monday.

Wilmette

Wilmette’s annual Memorial Day parade will kick off on Monday at 10:30 a.m. and will begin at St. Joseph School (Ridge Road and Lake Avenue) and move east down Lake Avenue until Park Avenue, then travel south on Park to Wilmette Avenue where it will head east and conclude at the Village Hall, 1200 Wilmette Ave.

Following the parade, a ceremony will be held outside the Village Hall. In previous years, village officials led the ceremony near the town’s memorial wall where a wreath is placed and local Scouts read the names of the Wilmette residents who died while serving in the military. 

Road closures for the parade will begin at 10:20 a.m. and continue until the parade clears around 11:30 a.m. The streets (Wilmette and Central) surrounding the Village Hall in downtown Wilmette will remain closed until the ceremony ends.

For more information and updates on the Wilmette Memorial Day parade, see here.

Winnetka

The annual Memorial Day parade in Winnetka will begin 10 a.m. Monday on the corner of Glendale and Elm Street. The parade will then head east to the Village Green Park, 525 Maple Ave.

A ceremony will follow at the Village Green, which traditionally features a guest speaker as well as the presentation of colors and the laying of a memorial wreath. 

The rain location for the ceremony is the Skokie School auditorium, 520 Glendale Ave.

For more information and updates on the Winnetka Memorial Day parade, see here.

Glencoe

The Village of Glencoe and Glencoe Historical Society are partnering to host this year’s Memorial Day ceremony. The event will be held at 11 a.m. in Veterans Memorial Park, next to Glencoe Union Church, 263 Park Ave. The ceremony will feature guest and community speakers and a memorial wreath.

In the case of inclement weather, the event will be held in the Takiff Center, 999 Green Bay Road.

For more information and updates on the Glencoe Memorial Day ceremony, see here.

Highland Park

The Highland Park community will hold its Memorial Day observance at 11 a.m. on Monday in the Highland Park High School Auditorium, 433 Vine Ave. The ceremony is planned in partnership with the American Legion Post No. 145, Jewish War Veterans Post No. 29 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 4737.

The observance will honor veteran William Joe Wallace, Jewish War Veterans Post No. 29 and Marine and retired Highland Park Police Officer Henry “Hank” Schotanus as Heroes Among Us. The event will also include a bell ceremony honoring Highland Park veterans who have passed away, a reading by Highland Park poet laureate and retired Air Force Major Laura Joyce-Hubbard, and a performance by the Highland Park High School band. 

Organizers ask that individuals driving to the event should park at the HPHS H entrance off of St. John.

For more information and updates on the Highland Park Memorial Day ceremony, see here.

Kenilworth

Kenilworth held its Memorial Day parade on Saturday, May 19. The 104th Annual Kenilworth Memorial Day Fun Run preceded the parade, while the Police Department Open House kicked off immediately after the parade.

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