Spectators are encouraged to park at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds or the College of Southern Maryland Leonardtown Campus parking lots and take the free round-trip bus service into downtown Leonardtown to view the parade. Operating between 8 AM and 1 PM, the shuttle buses will drop passengers off in the Downtown area at the intersection of Washington Street and Shadrick Street near the Olde Town Pub. Handicap Accessible shuttles are also available.
This bus service is provided by the St. Mary’s County Public Schools, The Center for Life Enrichment, The St. Mary’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation, CSC Applied Technologies, Millison Management Co., Inc., 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 vehicles 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. Handicap Accessible shuttles are also available at the Fairgrounds and the College.
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 Leonard Hall Recreation Center Gymnasium, on Route 245 adjacent to the St. Mary’s County Governmental Center Complex (23145 Leonard Hall Drive) at 11:00 AM. Those wishing to lay wreaths at the monuments may choose to do so.
College of Southern Maryland 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 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 Southern Maryland National Alliance on Mental Health to distribute information about health services for Veterans. Another new addition to the Town Square exhibits will be members of the 29th Division WWII Living History Group, representing the original “Maryland-Virginia-DC National Guard unit . . . inducted into 1 year of Federal service on 3 February 1941 at Fort Meade, MD” with a display of authentic WWII memorabilia.
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 VFW Post 2632. For more information call 301-475-9791 or e-mail Leonardtown.commissioners@verizon.net.
