Memorial Day Weekend 2023: Woodbridge-Area Parades And Events

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — The upcoming Memorial Day service/parade in Woodbridge is part of a nearly 160-year tradition that pays tribute to military personnel who lost their lives in service to their country.

As the observance has changed over the years, many families also use Memorial Day as an occasion to visit Woodbridge cemeteries and leave flowers at the graves of family members, regardless of whether they served in the military.

Memorial Day Weekend is also the unofficial kickoff to summer in Woodbridge. Here are all the ways to commemorate U.S. veterans this week in the Woodbridge area and beyond:

Wednesday, May 24: "Support Our Troops" rally Wednesday evening, May 24 in Woodbridge. The ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at George Frederick Plaza (outside the Woodbridge Health Center) All are welcome to thank members of the U.S. military.

Saturday, May 27:

• American Legion Post #87, 314 Berry Street, Woodbridge, Memorial Day Celebration and Picnic on Saturday, May 27 from 2:00 to 6:00 pm. $20.00 per person advance/$25.00 at door. Proceeds benefit Veterans.

Sunday, May 28:

• United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 04-04 Station Sewaren will conduct a Memorial Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony on Sunday, May 28 at 10:00 AM at the Woodbridge Marina and Boat Launch at the foot of Cliff Street in Sewaren. Members of the USCG Flotilla will lay a wreath in honor of the men and women lost at sea.
• Colonia VFW Post #6061 will hold a Memorial Day Service on Sun., May 28 at Noon at the Post Headquarters located at 606 Inman Avenue in Colonia. Following the services, the Colonia VFW will host a Memorial Day Barbeque. $25.00 per person (children under 10 free). Tickets: VFW Post #6061 at 732-574-9783.

Monday, May 29:

• Keasbey Fire Company #1 will hold a Memorial Day Service at the Keasbey War Memorial Monument Park (foot of Edison Bridge on Smith Street) at 8:00 AM on Mon., May 29. Breakfast to follow at the Keasbey Firehouse located at 420 Smith Street, Keasbey.
• Port Reading Fire, EMS and Ladies Auxiliary will hold a Memorial Day Service (Mon., May 29) at 9:00 AM at the Port Reading Firehouse located at 916 West Avenue, Port Reading.
• Avenel VFW Memorial Post #7164 will conduct a Memorial Day service (Mon., May 29) at 10:00 AM at the Post Headquarters located at 60 West Park Avenue, Avenel.
• Woodbridge VFW Post #4410 will host a Memorial Day Service (Mon., May 29) at 10:00 AM at the American Legion located at 314 Berry Street, Woodbridge.
• Fords VFW Memorial Post #6090 will conduct a Memorial Day (Mon., May 29) Flag-Raising service at 11:00 AM at the Fords War Memorial Monument located at King George Road and Corrielle Street in Fords.
• Iselin VFW Memorial Post #2636 will host a Memorial Day (Mon., May 29) service at 11:00 AM at the VFW Memorial located outside Post Headquarters on Auth Avenue in Iselin. Refreshments provided after the service.

In the area:

• May 27: The Edison Memorial Day Parade will be held at 12 p.m. Click here for details.
• Monday, May 29 11 a.m. Saint Gertrude Cemetery in Colonia will host Bishop Elias R. Lorenzo for a Memorial Day Mass honoring America’s fallen heroes.
• The Metuchen Memorial Day Parade will be held on May 29, 10 a.m. onwards. The parade begins at the American Legion Hall on Wernik Place.

The history of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, dates back to 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan called for a day of remembrance to honor the Northern lives lost amid battle during the Civil War that had ended just a few years earlier, according to History.com. As time passed, more and more people called it Memorial Day, and it became a federal holiday in 1971.

Waterloo, New York, is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day. The town’s observance on May 5, 1866, predated Logan’s call for a day of remembrance. Local businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags.

Until World War I, the holiday honored only those soldiers who died while fighting for the Union in the War, as Southern states honored their war dead on a separate day. After the 116,000-plus American deaths in World War I, the tradition changed to remember all who have died while serving in the military.

Every year, a national moment of remembrance is held at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, Americans are asked to pause for one minute in silence to remember military personnel who have given their lives in service to their country. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the midday time was chosen because it’s a time when many Americans will be enjoying their freedoms on a national holiday.