ANNUAL VETERANS DAY PARADE IN LEONARDTOWN ON
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2011!
Parade organizers extend an invitation to the entire community to attend Annual Veterans Day Parade in Leonardtown on Friday, November 11th! Join us in saluting our Veterans. The parade will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will move from the staging area at Ryken High School onto Fenwick Street, proceed to Washington Street and the Town Square area, and end on Courthouse Drive. The Parade will feature Veterans, dignitaries, elected officials, military units, color guards, local school marching bands, bagpipers, classic and antique cars, boy and girl scouts, cheerleaders, horses, motorcycles, fire, police, emergency personnel and equipment, and more! Immediately following the parade, spectators are encouraged to remain in the Town Square for the Veterans Memorial Ceremony. The ceremony is held to thank and honor all Veterans for their military service, and includes guest speakers, patriotic music, “What Veterans Day Means to Me” essay winners, and the laying of wreaths in honor of our fallen Veterans.
PARKING AND SHUTTLE SERVICES FOR PARADE PARTICIPANTS
Parade participants are requested to arrive between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., and be in their assembly area at Ryken High School no later than 9:00 a.m.
All Parade Participants should park in the parking lot complex at the Leonardtown Middle School located on Route 5/Point Lookout Road, where they will be bused to Ryken High School. This includes participants, groups and individual walkers, with the following exception: Parade Participants with the following entries only, may proceed directly to the assembly area at Ryken High School on Camp Calvert Road by taking Fenwick Street via Route 5/Point Lookout Road : Units that are arriving by bus and preloaded with equipment, such as school bands, etc.; Units or individuals carrying large instruments or other cumbersome entries, such as bagpipers, etc.; Vehicles that are in the parade (such as Police, Fire Trucks, Ambulances, Classic Cars, Motorcycles, etc.); Floats; Horses
If your parade entry does not fall within one of the categories outlined above, you will be asked to turn around, park at the Leonardtown Middle School, and take the shuttle bus to the staging area at Ryken School.
Upon arrival at Ryken High School, parade participants should check in with parade coordinators for their line-up assignment, where they will then be directed to their assembly area. Numbered cones will be set up at each assembly area. Parade participants who do not know their number before arrival should check in with one of the parade organizers.
PARKING AND SHUTTLE SERVICES FOR SPECTATORS
Spectators are encouraged to park at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds and take the free round-trip bus service into downtown Leonardtown to view the parade. The buses will operate between 8 AM – 1 PM to load and unload spectators at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds on Route 5 (Point Lookout Road) for the round-trip service between the Downtown and the Fairgrounds. Drop-off point in the Downtown will be the intersection of Washington Street and Shadrick Street. This bus service is provided by the St. Mary’s County Public Schools, Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, the St. Mary’s County Department of Public Works and transportation, and Carter Bus Service. There will be no charge to use this service for the parade.
Spectators choosing to enter downtown Leonardtown with their personal vehicle will be limited to areas accessible from Lawrence Avenue, including neighboring side streets and parking areas along Courthouse Drive and Park Avenue, as Washington Street and Fenwick Street into downtown Leonardtown will be closed to incoming traffic from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Officers from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department will provide traffic control, and Parade Volunteers will assist with parking directions and street detours.
Handicapped Parking: Spectators requiring handicapped parking may take Washington Street and upon showing proof of handicapped sticker or need, they will be allowed through the street closure area by police personnel to continue on Washington Street, where they will be guided by parking attendants to the designated parking area.
Inclement weather: In the event of inclement weather, the Veterans Day Parade would be cancelled, and the Memorial Ceremony would be moved inside and held at the Leonardtown Elementary School at 11:00 AM. Those wishing to lay wreaths at the monuments may choose to do so.
CSM volunteers will be on-site collecting donations for CSM’s “Support the Heroes Campaign”. The campaign benefits a scholarship fund developed to support students studying to become first responders and veterans whose benefits changed effective Aug. 1st as a part of the Veterans Affairs Yellow Ribbon Campaign. Volunteers will also be on site from the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund to distribute information about their mission of providing assistance to wounded Marines, and from the Habitat for Humanity to distribute information and accept donations toward the Repair Corps project and injured Marine Caleb Getscher.
Veterans Day is a day set aside to thank and honor America’s Veterans for their patriotism and military service, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. The annual Veterans Day Parade is sponsored by the Commissioners of Leonardtown and the Board of Commissioners for St. Mary’s County, in cooperation with American Legion Post 2632. For more information call 301-475-9791 or e-mail Leonardtown.commissioners@verizon.net.
