Avon Memorial Day Parade 2014 Information

• Route: Starts at the entrance to Sperry Park/Health Trax, 100 Simsbury Rd. 

• Travels south on Simsbury Road, stopping at the Avon Center Center behind the Avon Congregational Church, for a brief ceremony. 

• The parade then continues to the intersection of Ensign Drive and turns right/north onto Ensign Drive. 

• The parade passes the Town Green and ends at the parking area adjacent to the Marriott Hotel, just past the Town Green. 

The portion of the parade route that traveled south on Old Farms Road and turned around on Columbus Circle has been eliminated. 

Lt. Kelly urged spectators to watch the parade from the sidewalks on Simsbury Road and West Main Street.

Memorial Day Ceremonies

The Avon VFW and its Color Guard, as has been their solemn duty since 1946, will begin Memorial Day at 7:30 a.m. by visiting the Avon cemeteries, placing wreaths, performing a brief service and playing "Taps" in recognition and honor of all the departed veterans from Avon, according to a press release from the town of Avon.

Parade Participants

The Avon Veterans of Foreign Wars and their Color Guard, along with all other veterans who would like to march, will lead the parade, followed by the Avon Police and Color Guard. 

The Governor's Horse Guard and the Avon High School Marching Band, the Avon Fire Department and Color Guard, Boy and Girl Scouts, Cubs and Brownies will march in the parade.

After the parade concludes, a brief memorial service will take place at the Avon Veterans Memorial with  Greg Hagedorn, the Commander of Avon VFW Post 3272, and Bill Samol, Parade Chairman and Past Commander of Avon's VFW Post 3272 as the Master of Ceremonies.

The invocation will be offered by Attorney Morton N. Katz, a WWII veteran and member of Post 3272.

The National Anthem will be sung by Heather Underwood. After the presentation of the memorial wreath and forget-me-nots, "Taps" will be played by members of hte Avon High School band. 

This year's keynote speaker is the Honorable John Caruso, a retired CT Superior Court judge, Korean War veteran and member of Post 3272. 
He will talk of his experience in the war and the loss of his brother, who also served. 

War Memorial

The War Memorial on the Town Green lists 719 veterans from Avon who served their county, from the Mexican War to the Gulf War and separately honors 41 veterans who gave their lives in four wars. 

In Case it Rains

In the event of rain, the ceremonies will take place at the Avon Senior Center on West Avon Road at 11 a.m. The public is invited to attend.