New frontlines for Veterans Day Parade
The Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam wave to Wareham atop the Parkwood Beach Association float at last year’s Veterans Day Parade.. Photo by Leighah Beausoleil
The Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam wave to Wareham atop the Parkwood Beach Association float at last year’s Veterans Day Parade.. Photo by Leighah Beausoleil
The annual Veteran's Day Parade is returning and this year event organizers are bringing back a number of participants while adding many new ones.
Organized by the Wareham Veterans Day Organization, the parade will begin at Besse Park at 10 a.m. Nov 11 and travel down Main Street until it reaches Centre Park.
Wareham Veterans Day Organization treasurer Nora Bicki explained the parade took a six year hiatus before returning in 2023.
"Most of us on the committee are either veterans or we have family who are veterans and just felt that a parade is a great honor," said Bicki. "We all felt that it was time to restart the parade."
Bicki added many familiar groups will be returning but the organization has also added a number of new components to the parade.
This year, Wareham resident and Army National Guard Veteran Colleen Marble will be leading the parade as grand marshall, making her the first woman to do so in Wareham.
Marble, a 35 year veteran of the Army National Guard served as a personnel assistant before retiring as a master sergeant.
Bicki explained they had a school bus for the veterans to ride in last year but it made it difficult for people watching to see them.
"This year, Rockland Bank is sponsoring a trolley. and we will be able to see the veterans and we were able to invite more veterans to ride," said Bicki.
Bicki said it’s important Wareham’s veterans are visible to the community. Especially because so many families attend the event.
"Many times children are not aware what our veterans have sacrificed for us,” Bicki said. This way, it's an educational experience for young families to introduce the concept of veterans and how important they are to their kids."
Bicki added there are many returning groups from the previous year like the McGann Marching Band and the Extraordinary Arts stilt walkers and they will march alongside many new groups like Mickey and Minnie Mouse and a bagpipe and drum corp.
The First Congregational Church meeting hall will host a luncheon for veterans following the parade.
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