PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Editor's note: The above video is from May 11.
Here are some of the events commemorating Memorial Day that will be held in Central Pennsylvania.
Adams County
Gettysburg
The Gettysburg Foundation will host Family Day at Spangler, a free, one-day event from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., Saturday, May 28 at the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital.
The event marks the first opportunity for the public to visit the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital this year.
Offering free admission and the opportunity for the Adams County community and visitors to Gettysburg to experience the George Spangler Farm & Field Hospital, Family Day at Spangler provides an educational day for families to experience and learn about the history of the 80-acre historic site.
The family-friendly programming and offerings include the opportunity to:
- Hear stories about the civilian role during and after the battle and the Spangler family.
- Explore Civil War era pharmaceuticals and dentistry.
- Learn about the Letterman System and how it was used during the battle.
- See a reproduction of a Civil War Wheeling (Rosecrans) ambulance reproduction.
- Discover Civil War era games.
- Treat yourself to a local favorite with Mr. G’s old-fashioned ice cream.
The Gettysburg Joint Veterans Memorial Day Commission would like to announce that the 155th Memorial Day parade and ceremony in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania will be held on Monday, May 30.
The Memorial Day parade and ceremony in Gettysburg is one of the oldest continuing ceremonies in the country. Ceremonies in the past have featured keynote speakers, such as past presidents of the United States and Pennsylvania governors.
The Memorial Day parade will begin at 2 p.m. at Lefever Street in Gettysburg and head northeast to East Middle Street; turn west on East Middle Street, and south on Baltimore Street to the Soldiers’ National Cemetery.
The Memorial Day Ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. at the Rostrum in the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. The Color Guard from the USS Gettysburg (CG 64) will be serving as the color guard. The Keynote Speaker will be Major General Mark J. Schindler, the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania.
Cumberland County
Camp Hill
The Camp Hill Memorial Day Parade will be held Monday, May 30, beginning at 9:30 a.m. A ceremony will follow at 11 a.m. and festivities in Willow Park will start after the parade.
Carlisle
A Memorial Day service will be held in the Square after the parade in downtown Carlisle on Monday, May 30 at about 9:45 a.m.
This event will acknowledge the five Cumberland County USCT lost during the Civil War. Their names have been added to the Civil War Soldiers' Monument in Veterans Courtyard.
Mechanicsburg
The Silver Spring Township Veterans Committee will have its 17th annual Memorial Day ceremony on Monday, May 30 at Willow Mill Park in Mechanicsburg.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m.
This year’s distinguished speaker is Jeff Hawks, education director, U.S. Army Heritage Center. Assisting this year’s ceremony are the Cumberland Valley High School Junior ROTC Screaming Eagles battalion. They will be performing a Troup Inspection, Honor Guard, wreath laying, and flag raising ceremony.
The Capital Area Marine Corps League Young Marines will be performing a Troup Inspection and several patriotic readings during the ceremony.
Twelve veterans will be honored with whose brick pavers were placed at the memorial in 2022.
Shippensburg
The Joint Veterans Council of Shippensburg will hold the annual Memorial Day Ceremonies and Parade on Monday, May 30, at 2 p.m., to honor our fallen heroes.
Dauphin County
Harrisburg
The city's 54th annual Arts Fest will be held May 28 to 30 in Riverfront Park.
The three-day event will feature over 150 juried artisans and craftsmen from across the country selling handcrafted works in sixteen different categories, including ceramics, digital, drawing, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, miscellaneous, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and wood. The festival will also feature Jazzfest at the UPMC live entertainment stage, a community glass mural project, Kidsfest sponsored by Renewal by Anderson, food trucks, specialty food vendors, the HBG Flea's HBGFEST, and more. The event runs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m, on May 28 to 29 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 30.
Street parking is free on Sunday and Monday and the code LUVHBG can be used in the Parkmobile app to receive four hours of free downtown street parking on Saturday. Downtown street parking is free after 5 p.m. on Saturday. City Island parking is $5. Parking at the Market Square Garage is $10 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. each event day courtesy of Park Harrisburg. Free bike parking is available courtesy of Recycle Bicycle.
Lancaster County
Columbia
The Columbia Memorial Day Parade will be held Sunday, May 29, beginning with a patriotic concert at Locust Park at noon, followed by a Memorial Day ceremony at 1 p.m. The ceremony will feature speaker Jeffrey G. Butch, remarks from the mayor, and a wreath laying ceremony and 21-gun salute, followed by a rendition of "Taps."
The parade, with women veterans as the theme, will start at 2:30 p.m.
East Lampeter Township
A Memorial Day Block Party will be held at Tanger Outlets, 312 Stanley K. Tanger Blvd, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 28.
The free events will feature several family-friendly activities, including a fun kids creation station, free ice cream samples, and a meet-and-greet with fan favorite superheroes and TangerRoo, the Tanger Outlets mascot. Food trucks will be on premises for food purchases.
TangerClub members can check-in at the Tanger VIP Tent to pick up a free swag bag filled with coupons and goodies. Guests can register to become members here.
Ephrata
The First United Methodist Church of Ephrata, located at 68 North Church Street, will host its Memorial Day service at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 29. The event is open to the public.
Also on Sunday, the Bergstrasse Church at Routes 222 and 322 will host its annual Remembrance Service at noon on Sunday, May 29.
The event will be held rain or shine.
The featured speaker will be Ephrata native and retired Army Lt. Gen. Ronald R. Blanck, D.O. Program will include the Red Rose Veterans Honor Guard, Ephrata Boy Scout Troop 73, and the VET-21 Salute Honor Guard.
Following the service, members of the Bergstrasse will serve a light luncheon in the church Fellowship Hall.
Hempfield
The Hempfield Memorial Day Ceremony will be held Sunday, May 29, at 2 p.m. at the Hempfield Fire Company pavilion, 19 West Main Street, Salunga.
Army Lt. Col. Matthew K. Marsh, of the Army War College in Carlisle, Cumberland County, will serve as featured speaker. The event will also feature the reading of student essay contest winners, the Red Rose Veteran Honor Guard, the Vet21 Salute Honor Guard, the Hempfield High School Marching Band, and the Hempfield High School Chamber Singers.
Lancaster
The Vietnam Veterans of America and Associates Chapter 1008 of Lancaster will hold a wreath laying and ceremony in honor of Memorial Day at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, at the Greenwood Cemetery, South Queen Street.
The event is rain or shine and open to the public.
The ceremony will include the Lancaster County Veteran Honor Guard and the Vet 21 Gun Salute, who will do a rifle salute and “Taps,” and the reading the names of departed VVA members (May 2021 to present).
Lititz
The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra will perform a free concert from the bandshell in Lititz Springs Park, 24 North Broad Street, on Saturday, May 28 at 7 p.m.
The evening will include crowd favorites such as the finale from the William Tell Overture, Aaron Copland’s Hoedown, film music, and show tunes from Chicago, Harry Potter, and West Side Story along with beloved patriotic tunes like The Stars and Stripes Forever and more.
In the event of inclement weather, the performance will be relocated to Warwick High School auditorium.
Bring your lawn chairs and your friends to this exciting patriotic event that will surely be the highlight of your holiday weekend.
Marietta
The Marietta Memorial Day Parade will be held Monday, May 30, beginning at 11 a.m.
The parade will follow Market Street, starting at Donegal Intermediate School on Division Court and ending at the Marietta Cemetery. The parade will feature The Kiltie Band of York, American Legion Post 466, and more.
Mount Joy
The Mount Joy Borough Memorial Day Parade will take place Saturday, May 28 at 2 p.m. The parade starts at Angle Street and travels down Main Street to Twisted Bine Brewery.
New Holland
Members from the New Holland Legion Post 662, including Sons, Riders, and Auxiliary, will be conducting a pilgrimage to 13 cemeteries in the area to perform gun salutes at the graves of the last military members to pass away at each cemetery.
The pilgrimage will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, May 30.
For additional information, contact Karen Bowers at (717) 354-8523.
Reamstown
The Annual Reamstown Memorial Day Service will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 29 at the Reamstown Community Park. Bring a chair to this outdoor service. The event will occur unless there is heavy rain or lightning. Speaker will be Colin Kielick.
Following the memorial, there will be refreshments and socializing at the nearby Community Center.
Lebanon County
Annville
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Indiantown Gap National Cemetery will host its 40th annual Memorial Day Program on Sunday, May 29 at 2 p.m. rain or shine.
John Spruyt, director of Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, will welcome the audience. AMVETS Past Department Commander, Bernie McDonald, will deliver the Memorial Day address. Joseph Snyder, Memorial Council Trustee, will serve as the master of ceremonies.
Parking will be at the Arrowhead Community Club, 9-65 Fisher Avenue on Fort Indiantown Gap with shuttle bus transportation to and from the designated parking area to the cemetery. There will be limited handicapped parking at the cemetery itself.
The Avenue of Flags display on the cemetery will be flown through Veterans Day Week, Nov. 12. The Avenue of Flags is made up of casket flags that have been donated by veterans’ families. State, territories, and service flags will also be flown.
Jonestown
The Jonestown Memorial Day Parade will be held Monday, May 30, beginning at 9 a.m. along West Market Street.
Lebanon
The Lebanon Memorial Day Parade will form around 8th and Cumberland and will be held Monday, May 30. It will step off at 9:30 a.m. from 8th and Cumberland Streets, heading east on Cumberland to 4th Street, then head west on 4th Street to Lehman Street.
Once on Lehman Street, it will head North to Monument Park, concluding at 8th and Lehman Streets.
The Memorial Day Ceremony will be conducted at Monument Park at 11 a.m.
Palmyra
American Legion Post 72, the Palmyra Rotary Club, and the Palmyra Memorial VFW Post 6417 will present at a Memorial Day Parade in the borough on Monday, May 30, beginning at 10 a.m.
The parade route will cover Cherry, Green, Main, and Locust streets in the borough.
York County
Hanover
The Hanover Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 30, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The parade forms near Guthrie Memorial Library on Carlisle Street and proceeds through the square onto Baltimore Street, to Mount Olivet Cemetery, where services will be held.
York
The Gold Star Memorial 5K will be held on Monday, May 30 at the York Gold Star Garden, 1000 Yonder Avenue, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
There will be an in-person race, but those who are interested in remaining socially distant can sign up for a virtual event.
In addition to the 5K race, there will also be a non-competitive 5K walk and a 9-mile "Tour the Memorials" event where participants can run, walk, or ride their bikes past every memorial in the city.