Memorial Day Weekend 2023 In Vernon: At A Glance

VERNON, CT — The upcoming Memorial Day parades and remembrance ceremonies in Vernon are part of a nearly 160-year tradition that pays tribute to military personnel who lost their lives in service to their country.

Here is the rundown:

Civil War Grave Decorating Ceremony

This year, the annual Civil War grave ceremony falls on May 25. That day, the New England Civil War Museum and Research Center will be hosting the traditional services at Grove Hill Cemetery. The Alden Skinner Camp No. 45 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will be placing Flags at the headstones of local Civil War Veterans. Flag placement will start at 6 p.m. and services will begin at 7 p.m. in front of Col. Thomas Burpee's grave.

Talcottville Memorial Day Parade

On Sunday, May 28, the parade steps off at 9 a.m. from Talcottville Church, 10 Elm Hill Road, and goes to Mount Hope Cemetery for a ceremony. The parade then returns to church parking lot and ends.

Vernon Memorial Day Parade

There are some slight changes this year.

The parade steps off Monday, May 29, at 10:15 a.m. following a brief ceremony at Grove Hill Cemetery, on Hale Street, turns right onto Grove Street then continues to East Main Street and into downtown Rockville. The parade continues turning right onto Elm Street, then right onto Park Place and continues to the parking lot at St. Bernard Church, where the parade ends. Parade units participating in the ceremony at Central Park in front of Town Hall will drop out of the
parade at Central Park and move into the park for the ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in Central. Park. The Rockville High School and Vernon Center Middle School bands will provide music for the parade and ceremonies. Also, a Connecticut Air National Guard flyover has been requested but is dependent on the weather.

As the observance has changed over the years, many families also use Memorial Day as an occasion to visit cemeteries and leave flowers at the graves of family members, regardless of whether they served in the military.

Memorial Day weekend is also the unofficial kickoff to summer, but is it appropriate to wish someone a "Happy Memorial Day?"

The answer is, not really.

According to Vehiclesforveterans.org, Memorial Day comes at the end of a carefree weekend, but it is not designed to be a celebration. Wishing a "Happy Memorial Day" contradicts what is meant to be a somber day. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day began after the Civil War, and was intended to be "an opportunity to start healing as a country by coming together and honoring those who had died."

Every year, a national moment of remembrance is held at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, Americans are asked to pause for one minute in silence to remember military personnel who have given their lives in service to their country.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the midday time was chosen because it’s a time when many Americans will be enjoying their freedoms on a national holiday.

American flags are also a big part of Memorial Day. Here are some tips from the Veterans of Foreign Wars about the proper care and display of the U.S. flag:

• The federal flag code says the universal custom is to display the U.S. flag from sunrise to sunset on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in the open, but when a patriotic effect is desired the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness. Also, the U.S. flag should not be displayed when the weather is inclement, except when an all-weather flag is displayed.
• For most homeowners with one flagpole, this means the U.S. flag is at the peak, above any other flag.
• The U.S. flag should not be torn, ripped or in any way wrapped around the pole or snagged in the lines. It should fly free and be able to move around the pole unobstructed.
• A U.S. flag should never be used as clothing or for decoration. Red, white and blue bunting is the proper method for decoration on porches, windows, etc.
• On special days, by order of the governor, the flag may be flown at half-staff.

Here are some other guidelines:

• Do not let the flag touch the ground.
• Do not carry the flag flat, or carry things in it.
• Do not store the flag where it can get dirty.
• Do not use it as a cover.
• Do not fasten it or tie it back. Always allow it to fall free.
• Do not draw on, or otherwise mark the flag.
• When a U.S. flag is no longer able to be flown properly, disposal by burning is required.