BUFFALO, N.Y. — There are a lot of services, memorials and events happening this weekend to honor our Western New York veterans this Memorial Day. Below you can find a list of some events happening this weekend broken down by days.
Saturday, May 28
The City of Niagara Falls plans on holding its annual Memorial Day observance on Saturday to honor local veterans who died while serving the U.S. The Memorial Day observance will be held at the Niagara Falls Veterans Memorial at Hyde Park starting at 11 a.m.
In the City of Buffalo, a wreath laying ceremony and prayer service will be held at the World War II monuments at Hennepin Center starting at 1 p.m. The Memorial Day service will also feature a 21-gun salute at the Hennepin Center located at 24 Ludington Street.
Another Memorial Day observance will be happening Saturday at the Historic Concordia Cemetery located at 438 Walden Avenue in Buffalo. The service, hosted by the Johnetta R. Cole Amvets Post No. 24, will recognize all veterans for their service. Those in attendance will also lay flowers on Buffalo native and Navy veteran Johnetta Cole's grave. The service starts at 11 a.m. Then at 1 p.m., a "trailblazing street sign" ceremony will be held at the corner of Jefferson Avenue at Glenwood Avenue, where the street will be renamed to "Navy Veteran Johnetta Remell Cole's Way."
Sunday, May 29
The City of Lackawanna will be holding its annual Memorial Day ceremony on Sunday to honor the city's deceased military heroes. The remembrance will start at 10 a.m. at Veterans Stadium located at 2990 South Park.
Monday, May 30
Ceremonies and events
The Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park will be reopening to visitors on Memorial Day weekend for the first time since mid-April. The Naval Park will be holding a non-denominational Memorial Day service with military honors on Monday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The Naval Park will be honoring those who fought for our freedom all weekend including a special installation called "One Life, One Flag." There will be 7,300 flags across the grounds to represent the number of veterans who have lost their battle with PTSD per year.
The Erie County American Legion will hold its traditional Memorial Day services at the American Legion Monument in Forest Lawn Cemetery starting at 9 a.m. Prior to the services, the Erie County American Legion will decorate 7,100 veteran graves in the cemetery located on Main Street and Delavan Avenue in Buffalo.
The West Seneca Joint Veterans Committee will honor the men and women who died while serving our country with a special service in the Walkway of Freedom Complex located at 1250 Union Road at 11 a.m. A free Civil War Living History event will also take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring the re-creation of a Civil War base camp.
In honor of Memorial Day, an annual memorial run will take place from Hamburg Beach to the Hamburg Brewing Company to raise awareness for special operations members who were killed in action. A flan will lead the way for the 6.8 mile run representing the fallen. The run starts at 10 a.m. More information can be found by clicking here.
In Medina, a Memorial Day observance will be held after the parade on State Street Park around noon.
And the Amherst Veterans Committee will hold a Memorial Day remembrance and wreath-laying ceremony at the Williamsville Cemetery starting at 1 p.m.
Parades
- Orchard Park - the parade will kick off at 9 a.m. at the Orchard Park Library
- Lancaster - the Memorial Day parade starts at 9 a.m. at Veteran's Park on Lake Avenue
- East Aurora - the parade starts at 10:30 a.m. at Hamlin Park
- Ken-Ton - the Memorial Day parade starts at 11 a.m. on Delaware Avenue
- Clarence - the parade starts at 11 a.m. on Kraus Road
- Batavia - the parade kicks off at 9:45 a.m. from the Eastowne Plaza
- Jamestown - the Memorial Day parade starts at 10 a.m. on West Fourth Street
- Medina - the parade starts at 11 a.m. on Park Avenue.
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