Memorial Day to be celebrated with food, ceremonies, festival

Communities from throughout Sandusky and Ottawa counties are planning parades, patriotic ceremonies, vendors and food offerings for Memorial Day 2022.

Fremont

The Fremont VFW Post 2947 will be hosting a ceremony at 9 a.m. May 30 in the park in front of the County Courthouse. 

Also at approximately 9 a.m., the Memorial Day Parade will line up on State Street near Justice Street. 

The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. with VFW sponsoring the event. The VFW auxiliary will be passing flags out to the crowd. From State Street the parade will travel on Front Street to Tiffin Street and then to Rodger Young Park. 

The VFW Post 2947, 204 Birchard Ave., also will be holding a chicken dinner on Memorial Day starting at 11 a.m. The dinner is $10, either dine in or carry out. 

Among the local events for Memorial Day weekend will be the Classics on the Prairie Car and Truck Show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 29 at the Victors Event Center, 2270 Hayes Ave. Entry fee is $15 and registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Four trophies will be presented. The event is open to the public and will include music, raffles and food.

For more details and Sandusky County events visit sanduskycounty.org.

Port Clinton

The 2022 Walleye Festival will kick off with a 5 p.m. opening ceremony on May 26. The festival will run May 26 through May 30 over Memorial Day Weekend.

Durant Amusement will present rides starting with the opening of the festival and running through Memorial Day. Bands will perform each evening and include Rumours, The Eric Sours Band, Distant Cousinz, The jUnk!, and others.

At 10 a.m. Saturday May 28, the David W. Leonard Post 295 Fraternal Order of Eagles Grande Parade will be held. At 11:30 a.m. the parade awards will be presented at the entertainment tent.

On Sunday, May 29, The Skipper Bud's Kids Fishing Derby will be held at Derby Pond with registration beginning at 11:30 a.m.

On May 30, Memorial Day there will be a ceremony at Veterans Park at 10 a.m. The festival will close then at 5 p.m. 

Clyde

The Clyde Memorial Day Parade will be at 10 a.m. May 30. Lineup will begin at 9 a.m. in front of Auxter Funeral Home on South Main Street. The parade will travel north on Main Street and jog over to Maple Avenue and to St. Mary's Cemetery on Spring Street where the color guard will hold a 21-gun salute and there will be a short ceremony.

The procession will then reorganize and travel east on Maple to the Veteran's Monument and the Firefighters Monument for a short ceremony at each. The parade will then travel northeast on Maple to McPherson Cemetery for a program near the Veterans Section with music by the Clyde High School Marching Band and the speaker will be Danny Crow, Past VFW District 9 Director. 

In case of rain the parade will be canceled and the program will be held at the VFW 3343 Hall, 847 W. Maple St. 

Elmore

The American Legion Memorial Day Parade will be 11 a.m. May 30 and the legion will also be holding a chicken barbecue.

Genoa

The Memorial Day Observance Ceremony will be 9 a.m. May 30 at Clay Township Cemetery. The guest speaker will be Robert E. Stewart, Chapter 35 President, Vietnam Veterans of America. The program is being sponsored by the Genoa American Legion and Auxiliary No. 324. The Genoa High School Band will perform.

There will be a cannon salute and a dove release. Those attending should bring a lawn chair due to limited seating. 

Stewart served in the U.S. Army from 1969 to 1972 with the 25 Infantry Division, 1/27 Wolfhounds in Vietnam and Cambodia from 1970 to 1972. He was seriously injured in Cambodia in June 1970. He is a 100% Disabled Combat Wounded veteran. He is an inductee to the Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor, Class of 2009, No. 160. He is the author of the poem, The Silver Rose, which will be displayed by the Vietnam Wall in Washington D.C. After being discharged from the service, Stewart worked for 44 years as an engineer for Norfolk Southern Railway.

Gibsonburg 

The Gibsonburg Memorial Day Parade will be 9:30 a.m. May 30. The parade starts at the American Legion on South Main Street and travels north on Main, turning left onto West Madison Street where it will proceed to West Union Cemetery where the Memorial Day Ceremony will take place.

Lakeside-Marblehead 

To celebrate Memorial Day weekend, Lakeside Chautauqua is honored to host the "RISE ABOVE: Tuskegee Airmen and WASP" traveling exhibit from May 25 to 29. This free Commemorative Air Force exhibit brings to life the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) through an immersive theater experience that inspires all to rise above adversity to achieve their dreams. 

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first black military pilots in the United States. They fought for America even though they had no civil rights in their own country. The Tuskegee Airmen are best known for their extraordinary efforts in the air war of World War II and for challenging the stereotypes that had kept black Americans from serving as pilots in the U.S. Armed Forces. 

The exhibit will be near the Lakeside Schoolhouse at the following times: 

• Wednesday: 10 a.m to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.

• Thursday: 10 a.m.to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.

• Friday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.

• Saturday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Sunday: 1 to 5 p.m.

Marblehead Parade

At 10:30 a.m. May 30, the Village of Marblehead will host the peninsula parade. The parade starts in Clemons Cemetery on East Main Street and proceeds to the War Memorial at James Park. The public is invited. 

For entertainment and other Memorial Day Weekend activities visit lakesideohio.com.

Oak Harbor

Memorial Day services for the Oak Harbor community will begin with a breakfast from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. May 30 the American Legion Post on Park Street. This will be for all veterans and their families.

The VFW Post 8732 will hold memorial services at four cemeteries as follows: 8:45 a.m. Frenchtown, 9:05 a.m. Locust Point; 9:30 a.m. Rushau; and 9:55 Roose. The America Legion Post 114 will hold memorial services at two cemeteries: 9 a.m. at Limestone and 9:30 a.m. Elliston Cemetery.

At 10:30 a.m. units will organize in front of the American Legion on Park Street for the Memorial Day Parade, which will be led by the Oak Harbor High School Marching Band. The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. and will proceed south on Church Street to Water Street to Flat Iron Park for a brief ceremony, then proceed to Bayou Bridge to honor veterans lost at sea. From the bridge the parade will proceed to Veterans Memorial Circle in Union Cemetery for the final services of the day. In case of rain, the parade will be canceled and the service held at Oak Harbor Junior High School.

Put-in-Bay

On Memorial Day Weekend, Active Duty service members and veterans will receive discounts on the Put-in-Bay Ferries including free passage on both the Jet Express and Miller's ferries on Monday. 

On May 28, 29 and 30, between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. tourists will enjoy the Perry Victory and International Peace Memorial and Carronade Weekend with demonstrations throughout the day.

Memorial Day Services will be held on May 30 in the lower plaza of the Perry Victory and International Peace Memorial at 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. to honor Veterans past and present. This is a free event.

For more information on Put-in-Baygo to visitputinbay.com. 

Woodville

The Village of Woodville will bring back its Memorial Day Parade after two years off due to the pandemic. The parade starts at 8:30 a.m. Memorial Day May 30 and is followed by a Veterans Service on First Street. The parade route starts at the corner of Elm and Main streets and itmoves to Bridge Street and then to First Street and Veteran's Park.

There will also be a pancake breakfast at Solomon Lutheran Church after the service. Other activities will include ball tournaments, a farmers market and garage sales.

rbrooks@gannett.com

419-334-1059