The Memorial Day Parade, Ceremonies, and Program

The Sudbury Memorial Day Parade, Town Hall Ceremonies, and Hosmer House Program are held on the last Monday in May. Sudbury has formally honored its war dead for more than 100 years.

The Sudbury Memorial Day Parade, Ceremonies, and Program are held on the last Monday in May. This year the date is 30 May 2011. Sudbury has formally honored its war dead for more than 100 years. The parade and ceremonies honor veterans of all wars that involved Sudbury residents starting with King Philip’s War in 1676.

Parade Schedule and Events

Parade Schedule:
The main part of the Parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Rugged Bear Plaza, where local Politicians Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and a delegation of Native Americans will join veteran’s organizations; the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute, the Sudbury Ancient Fyfe and Drum Companies and Company F, 12 Georgia Infantry.

The Parade marches east along Route 20 then north on Concord Road, with stops at Hop Brook for a Maritime Ceremony, the Civil War Monument at the Goodnow Library, and the World War II, Korea, Vietnam and King Philip monuments at Wadsworth Cemetery.

Cub Scouts and Brownies then join the parade at Our Lady of Fatima, as the Parade continues north up Concord Rd.  The Parade ends with a World War I ceremony at Grinnell Park in the town center at 11:00am. This year a Gold Star Flag will be raised at Veterans Park, by the Parade Marshal to signify the community’s recent loss of one of its sons.

Veterans Invited:
All veterans are invited to join in the line of march at Rugged Bear Plaza. Uniforms are not required. Civilian clothes which respect the dignity of the occasion (dark slacks, white dress shirt, and hat that identifies your branch of service or veterans' organization are appropriate).
Transportation will be provided for those who wish to participate but feel they are not capable of marching along.

Town Center Activities:
The Memorial Day Program begins at Town Hall at 11:25 a.m. The names of Sudbury veterans who died since last Memorial Day are read aloud. Musical selections are performed by the Sudbury Ancient Fyfe and Drum Companies, followed by greetings from Donald Somers, Parade Marshal, Gold Star Family and local political leaders. There will also be trumpet selections and bugle calls by Robert Coe.

At the conclusion of the Town Hall Program, hot dogs and sodas will be served to Parade participants by the American Legion.

Parade Route and Schedule:
  7:30 a.m. Revolutionary War Salute, Minuteman Statue
  8:30 a.m. Commemorative ceremonies at Old North
                  Cemetery and New North Cemetery
  9:30 a.m. Parade begins at Rugged Bear Plaza
  9:35 a.m. Maritime Ceremony at Hop Brook
  9:50 a.m. Civil War Monument at Goodnow Library
10:00 a.m. WW II, Korea, Vietnam, and King Philip
                   Monuments at Wadsworth Cemetery
10:45 a.m. Brownies and Cubs enter at Our Lady of Fatima
11:00 a.m. WWI and Gold Star ceremony at Grinnell Park at Town Center
11:25 a.m. Program begins at Town Hall

Activities at Sudbury Town Center:
10:00 a.m. Hosmer House opens to public
11:00 a.m. WWI ceremony at Grinnell Park
11:25 a.m. Program begins at Town Hall

Hosmer House
The Historic Hosmer House is open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This year is the 150^th Anniversary of the commencement of the Civil war and the 20^th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm. The Hosmer House will host Two Civil War re-enactors, a Union Army Sgt Major and a Confederate Army Captain. They will do a living history presentation on army life on both sides of the battle lines and discuss uniforms, weapons, tactics and camp life during the war.

In addition there will be acollection of Civil War related items. Items include an H COMPANY Maine Heavy Artillery Unit Memorial, one of only 14 copies ever printed. Detail the names of soldier in the unit.  Suffered over 600 causalities at the Battle of Petersburg, VA.

There is a CHRISTMAS EVE LETTER, dated 24 December 1863, written by Lt E. Nye Peirce to his new bride from Pine Tree Signal Station, North Carolina. Pencil drawings of the Station and Peirce’s Military Order of Loyal Legion of the United States and GAR Signal Corps Reunion Medals are also on display. There is a Trench art Crucifix made by veteran with seven Civil War bayonets and POW trench art poker chips made of animal bone, dyed with natural colors. These items were traded to guards for tobacco or coffee. There are lithographs of the Battle of Gettysburg and Kennesaw Mountain and some ‘sweetheart jewelry” as well as period books about the war and famous wartime generals.

Weapons include a NAVY CUTLASS, Model 1860, used for close quarter battle ship to ship. A FOOT ARTILERY SHORT SWORD, Model 1832, designed to use against horses, the biggest threat to artillery. US CAVALRY SABER, MODEL 1840. Called the “WRIST BREAKER”, nickname was because of the swords weight and the unusual way troops were taught to hold the sword on horseback made you think you would break your wrist. ZOUAVE BAYONET, Model 1862, Copied from the French and used by Union Zouave Units

Collection of Desert Storm items includes propaganda postcard and leaflets. Escape maps and Blood chits as well as Bedouin Jewelry and “war rugs”.

The Historic Hosmer House is open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.