Welcome Back, Concord Memorial Day Parade And Festivities: Watch

CONCORD, NH — After two years of cancelations due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Memorial Day parade returned to Downtown Concord.

This year, there were actually two parades — one in Penacook Village on Sunday and the traditional parade in Concord which featured a new route. Marchers, including both the Concord High School and Rundlett Middle School bands, city and regional politicians, veterans, and others, walked from Christ the King Parish to the Statehouse plaza skipping the traditional visit to the Old North Cemetery on North State Street.

No one seemed to mind though that there was a change. Turnout was pretty good, with attendees in chairs mostly lined up along North Main Street.

A number of Concord city councilors marched in the parade including Candace Bouchard, the mayor pro tem who also represents Ward 9. Byron Champlin, an at-large councilor, Brent Todd of Ward 1, Erle Pierce of Ward 2, Stacey Brown of Ward 5, and Keith Nyhan of Ward 7 also all marched in the parade. Brown and Nyhan were veterans, Bouchard noted during her remarks. Concord Police Chief Brad Osgood and Deputy Chief John Thomas also marched in the parade as did District 2 Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington of Concord.

The parade and festivities went off without a hitch. Well, there was one: Officials were unable to find the key to turn on the electricity at the Statehouse plaza to power a speaker in order to hear those attendees speaking. Some, like Jamie Tibbetts, made the best of it while speaking loudly so others could hear. By the third speaker, the power was on.

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