50th Anniversary WOOGMS Memorial Day Parade - Monday, May 27th at 11AM

OVER 1000 MARCHERS, COVERING AT LEAST THREE GENERATIONS, TO CELEBRATE A MAJOR MILESTONE WITH THIS YEAR’S 50^TH (that’s right
50^th !) WELLINGTON-OAKDALE OLD GLORY MARCHING SOCIETY (WOOGMS) MEMORIAL DAY PARADE.

The Annual WOOGMS Memorial Day Parade steps off from Pine Grove & Wellington in the Lakeview community, on Monday, May 27 at 11AM to celebrate 50 years of small town patriotism in the heart of Chicago.

In addition to many VERY special surprises, parade organizers expect hundreds of original marchers to attend with their children and grandchildren to honor the parade that has always had the all-inclusive motto: “Everybody Marches; Nobody (just) Watches."

It is a special and rare group of Chicago institutions and traditions that have been around for 50 or more years. With this year’s Memorial Day Parade, WOOGMS will be reaching this esteemed milestone. 

Says WOOGMS Parade Marshal, Tony Weisman, son of the parade’s late founder Al Weisman, “When my dad started this parade in 1963 by marching around the block with an American flag and a few neighborhood kids, he wanted us to have fun and teach us about patriotism and community involvement; I’m sure he never imagined we’d still be going strong 50 years later. WOOGMS is a real testament to the strength of Chicago’s neighborhoods.”

The number of WOOGMS marchers keeps on growing. People from all over the Chicago area, and well beyond, continue to discover this amazing event as a great way to honor the holiday, celebrate the unofficial beginning of the Summer AND march in a major parade.

As usual, the “Official WOOGMS beat” will be provided by the lively Jesse White Drum Corps. The parade will travel through the neighborhood, concluding about seven blocks later on the front lawn of St. Joseph Hospital, 2900 N. Lake Shore Drive. Along with candy and other treats for the marchers, entertainment at the hospital will include breath-taking acrobatic feats by the world-renowned Jesse White Tumblers and the energetic participation of the group’s founder, Illinois’ youthful 78 year-old Secretary Of State, Jesse White.

In honor of the parade’s 50th anniversary, filmmakers Alan Spencer and Jerry Aronson will be updating their short documentary of the parade, originally shot in 1973, with new footage of the now-adult original marchers and their families.

After Al’s death in 1974, Tony assumed the duties of Parade Marshall and has been leading WOOGMS on Memorial Day and Labor Day with the same contagious enthusiasm ever since. Tony is now also assisted by his two sons, Adam (23) and Michael (19), as the third generation of WOOGMS Parade Marshals.