Town Hopes Memorial Day Parades Provide Sense Of Normalcy

GREENWICH, CT—The dates for Greenwich's Memorial Day parades have been set, and they will go on as planned as long as COVID-19 numbers continue to improve.

The Byram Veterans Association will hold their parade and ceremony at 2 p.m. May 30, followed later in the day by the Glenville Volunteer Fire Department’s parade and ceremony at 5 p.m. The annual Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department parade kicks off on Sound Beach Avenue with a ceremony in Binney Park at 9 a.m. May 31.

First Selectman Fred Camillo is hoping Memorial Day 2021 can bring some normalcy back to residents' lives after a turbulent past year.

"This is another sign we're heading towards the other side of this pandemic. These events are very, very important for the town, and for people to start to recapture the normalcy that was lost," Camillo said earlier this week.

Greenwich Fire Chief Joseph McHugh is also looking forward to the parades, his first as Chief in Greenwich. Several events were cancelled last year after the pandemic hit.

“We still have to see what happens in the next few weeks, but it's going to be great to see people enjoying themselves. It's very important for everybody, not just our department, to see light at the end of the tunnel and get some normalcy again,” McHugh said.

"The Memorial Day parades will be to salute the memory of those we lost, but also to reflect on how far we've come in the last 14 months. We're eagerly awaiting it, but we'll do so safely," Camillo added.

As of last Friday, more than 54 percent of all eligible Greenwich residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Senior citizens are trending even better with 92 percent of those age 75 and older having been vaccinated.

"We're doing excellent in town as far as vaccination rates are going. We're also doing very well in the state. We're not letting our guard down. We're still adhering to the protocols in place by the state and by the CDC, and we're going to get there but get there safely. It's been one day at a time, but trends are certainly going in the right direction," said Camillo.

Camillo hopes residents exercise caution if they're planning on coming out to the parades. Current CDC guidelines state that if you are fully vaccinated and outside, you do not have to wear a mask, unless in crowded settings and venues where there's a decreased ability to socially distance.

"It's about exercising caution as we head to the other side of this pandemic. We want to make sure people are not letting their guard down," Camillo said.