Memorial Day 2026 In West Hartford, Parade Information, Closings Announced

WEST HARTFORD, CT — West Hartford officials announced plans for the town’s annual Memorial Day Parade and ceremony on Monday, May 25, along with several holiday-related service changes and parking restrictions.

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and continue a tradition established by World War I veterans returning to West Hartford in the 1920s, according to town officials.

Parade participants are scheduled to assemble at 9:30 a.m. west of Woodrow Street on Farmington Avenue.

The parade route will conclude at West Hartford Town Hall and is expected to last between 45 minutes and one hour.

Conor Tracy, a retired U.S. Marine Corps captain from West Hartford, will serve as the parade’s grand marshal and keynote speaker during the Memorial Day ceremony following the parade.

The annual ceremony honoring military service members who died while serving the United States is expected to begin around 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial at the corner of North Main Street and Farmington Avenue.

In the event of rain, the ceremony will move indoors to the West Hartford Town Hall Auditorium at 50 S. Main St.

Town officials said the parade will be canceled in the event of inclement weather, with no rain date planned.

In preparation for the event, West Hartford will impose overnight parking restrictions beginning at 12:01 a.m. on May 25 along portions of Pleasant Street, Farmington Avenue, North Main Street, and South Main Street along the parade route.

Officials said the parking ban will be lifted after the parade concludes around 11 a.m.

West Hartford Community Interactive will broadcast the parade and ceremony live on its YouTube channel, according to town officials.

Memorial Day honors military service members who died while serving in the United States armed forces.

The holiday originated after the Civil War as “Decoration Day” and became a federal holiday in 1971.

Holiday closings, impacts

The town also announced that trash, recycling, and bulky waste collection scheduled between May 25 and May 29 will be delayed by one day because of the holiday.

Town Hall, libraries, schools, senior centers, the community center, and the Yard Waste & Recycling Center will be closed on May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.

Municipal parking lots and garages will offer free parking throughout Memorial Day, with normal parking operations resuming at 6 a.m. on May 26.