Coronavirus Cancels Annual Memorial Day Parade In Sayville

SAYVILLE, NY — The annual Memorial Day parade in Sayville has been cancelled due to the coronavirus. The longtime tradition was set to take place during the holiday on Monday, May 25.

"It saddens us to announce that, in accordance with NYS Executive Orders regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, and with the safety of our members and our community in mind, we must cancel our annual Memorial Day Parade," a message posted on the Sayville Fire Department Facebook page read. "Stay healthy, stay safe. We'll all get through this together."

The Sayville Chamber of Commerce also posted a message confirming the cancellation, on its website.

Since the stay-at-home order was issued in March, several events and parades for other holidays such as St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Passover and more have been cancelled over the past two months. Another popular Memorial Day tradition, the Bethpage air show, has been cancelled for this year. The event will instead take place virtually.

While residents may not be able to celebrate the unofficial start of summer, it's still unknown what the rest of the season will hold. Another popular Sayville event set for August, the annual Summerfest, might be at risk of being cancelled as well.

"The Chamber's priority is always the safety of the public," a message on the chamber of commerce website read. "At this point we are monitoring and discussing the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure we are safe and compliant with any regulations and guidance from NY State and the various other governmental agencies. Please stay safe and check back here for updates about the status of Summerfest 2020."