Portsmouth to Salute Armed Forces with 126th Memorial Day Parade

The nation’s oldest annually held parade turns 126 this year! The City of Portsmouth presents the 126th Annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 31st at 11 a.m. parade starts at 11:00 a.m. (Rain or Shine) in downtown Portsmouth. The first parade started in 1884.

Annually, the Memorial Day Parade salutes the service and sacrifices of the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and celebrates Portsmouth’s proud military heritage. This year’s parade will include floats, marching band units, armed forces units, lots of excitement, and much more.

Grand Marshall Rear Admiral Wayne E. Justice, Commander of the Fifth District of the United States Coast Guard, will be the Grand Marshal for this historic parade, the first since Portsmouth was named an official “Coast Guard City” in December 2009.

The Parade Route The 1800 block of High Street at I.C. Norcom High School will be the starting point for the parade which will travel east on High Street; turn right on Crawford Street; and end at Columbia Street.

For more information, call the Portsmouth City Clerk’s Office at 757.393.8639.