Memorial Day 2016: Bowie Parade Route, Plus What's Open and Closed

BOWIE, MD — A Vietnam War veteran who served in the Army for 30 years will be the parade grand marshal for the City of Bowie’s Memorial Day Parade.

The parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 28.

Parade Grand Marshal Claudio Poiani, a long-time Bowie resident, emigrated to the United States in 1955 from Italy. In May of 1958 he entered the U.S. Army and served for 30 years until his retirement on May 1, 1988. In 1969 and 1970 he served in the Republic of Vietnam.

Claudio and his wife, Eva Maria, have two sons, Luciano and Steve.

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The parade honored guest is CWO Edward Fox of the United States Navy.

Parade entries include the Scottish American Military Society, Bowie’s Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion, the Freestate Detachment Marine Corps League, Bowie State University Marching Band, John F. Nicoll Pipes & Drums, Thunder Brigade Drum & Bugle Corps, Panquility Steel Drum Band, the First Panamanian Marching Band of Maryland, the New Edition Legacy Marching Band of Baltimore, floats, car clubs, dance groups, beauty queens, marching units, the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department Company and more.

Bowie Parade Route

The parade, held rain or shine, will begin at the Bowie High School Annex on Belair Drive. The parade will turn right onto Belair Drive and continue to Sussex Lane. Once Sussex Lane is reached, the parade will turn right and continue to Stonybrook Drive and make another right.

The parade will travel past the Bowie Community Center and turn left onto Sage Lane, finishing in the Market Place Shopping Center parking lot.

Food and drink concessions will be available at Acorn Hill Park and Sussex Lane Park. Sussex Lane Park, as well as Acorn Hill Park, are top locations to view the parade. Public restrooms will be located at both parks for the use of parade watchers.

Because of the parade, the following streets will be blocked: Belair Drive from the Bowie High School Annex to Route 450; Sussex Lane; Stonybrook Drive from Sussex Lane to Sage Lane; and Sage Lane.

All Bowie city offices and facilities are closed on Monday, May 30, for the Memorial Day holiday. No trash or recycling will be collected.

PG County Holiday Closures

Prince George’s County Public Schools and offices will also be closed on the Monday holiday.

Prince George’s County government offices will be closed on Monday, May 30, for Memorial Day. Specific facilities and operations are noted below.

Government offices and services, and their holiday hours, are:

• Animal Services Facility: Closed
• Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill: Closed
• Brown Station Road Public Convenience Center: Closed
• Electronics Recycling Acceptance Site: Closed
• Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site: Closed
• Missouri Avenue Solid Waste Acceptance and Recycling Center: Closed
• Prince George’s County Materials Recycling Facility: Closed
• Prince George’s County Yard Waste Composting Facility: Closed; collection will resume June 6
• Bulky Trash Collection: No Collection; collection will resume Tuesday, May 31
• Trash Collection in County-Contracted Areas: No Collection; collection will resume Tuesday, May 31, and continue through June 3
• Curbside Recycling Collection: No Collection; collection will resume Tuesday, May 31, and continue through June 3
• Indoor Pool Complexes: Open
• Outdoor Pool Complexes: Open (Beginning Saturday, May 28)
• Regional Parks: Open
• Historic Sites/Rentals: Rentals only
• Community Centers and Arts Centers: Closed
• Senior Activity Centers: Closed
• Sports Facilities: Open

Public Transit

TheBus, a public transit service operated by the Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation, will no operate on Monday, May 25. Normal route service will resume Tuesday, May 31. In addition, the County’s Call-A-Bus, including senior transportation services, will not be run on Memorial Day. Normal route services will resume on Tuesday, May 31.

In addition, the county’s CountyClick 3-1-1 will be closed on Monday, May 30, and will return to normal operations on Tuesday, May 31. However, residents may still submit service/issue requests online at www.countyclick311.com.

»Photo of Bowie Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal Claudio Poiani, courtesy of city of Bowie