PORTSMOUTH, NH — Portsmouth will mark Memorial Day with a wreath-laying ceremony in Prescott Park, a commemorative parade through the South End, and several holiday-related facility closures.
The first observance is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday, May 22, in Prescott Park by the anchor sculpture. According to the city, the annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony will include a musical performance by the Portsmouth Middle School Ensemble and a wreath-laying on the Piscataqua River to honor service members lost at sea. The city said the event will be held rain or shine.
At 1 p.m. on Monday, May 25, the city will host a Memorial Day/250th Commemorative Parade.
The parade will step off from Parrott Avenue, turn onto Richards Avenue, and stop briefly at the Logan’s Orders monument in South Cemetery on South Street for a wreath-laying. The route then continues along South Street to Junkins Avenue, concluding back on Parrott Avenue.
Parts of Richards Avenue and South Street will be closed to parking and traffic during the parade. If it rains, a ceremony will be held in City Hall Council Chambers at 1 Junkins Ave.
The Recreation Department included a message for people who live along the route:
“The parade will pass directly by your front doors and porches, and we hope you will help reflect the heart of Portsmouth by decorating and watching along the route. The city does not host a Memorial Day Parade every year, and a parade along Richards Avenue and this section of South Street is especially rare. We hope you will join us in honoring this important day.”
Any changes will be announced on the city’s website and through social media, according to the announcement. The city directed residents to the Memorial Day Ceremony parade event page on its website for more information.
City services will also be affected by the holiday.
There will be no trash and recycling pickup on Monday, May 25, and Monday collections will be combined with Tuesday, May 26, according to the city. City Hall and other city buildings and facilities will be closed on May 25. Portsmouth Public Library and Community Campus will be closed Saturday through Monday, May 23 to 25.
Also on Memorial Day, the USS Albacore Submarine Memorial Park is scheduled to host its annual Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 25.
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