Several Franklin County communities will be holding Memorial Day events. Here is the rundown:
In Greenfield, the parade starts Monday at 10 a.m. from Greenfield Middle School. The route winds through downtown with stops at multiple memorials, concluding at Veterans Mall with a ceremony featuring Brigadier General Mark Kalin and special recognitions.
Northfield’s parade begins at 10 a.m. Monday from the Trinitarian Congregational Church, traveling down Main Street with stops at schools, cemeteries, and Town Hall.
Athol kicks off Monday at 10 a.m. with a brief service at Silver Lake Cemetery, then a parade to Veterans Park downtown, where the closing ceremony begins at 11.
In Bernardston, the parade steps off at 10 a.m. Monday from the lot across from the former Four Leaf Clover restaurant to Center Cemetery. The event includes live music and a chicken barbecue hosted by the Veterans Organization.
Shelburne’s parade starts Monday at 10 a.m. at McCusker’s Market on State Street, crossing the Iron Bridge to Arms Cemetery, including a dedication to a local Vietnam War veteran.
Whately’s Memorial Day event begins Sunday at 10 a.m. with a ceremony at the Congregational Church, followed by a parade to the cemetery and the town’s war memorial.
In Buckland, the Mary Lyon Church hosts the annual Hat ’n Socks Parade Monday morning at 8 a.m., traveling to town cemeteries and ending at the veterans memorial in front of the Buckland Historical Museum.
Colrain holds its ceremony and parade Monday at 10 a.m. at West Branch Cemetery on Foundry Village Road. Those wishing to participate should arrive by 9:30 a.m.
In Erving, selectboard members will conduct wreath-laying ceremonies at four locations Monday, starting at 10 a.m. at Fire Station 1 on East Main Street and continuing to cemeteries, Veterans Memorial Field, and the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Millers River.
Gill’s Memorial Day service takes place Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the Gill Church, including hymns, music, and a rose ceremony at war memorials. Veterans groups from Northfield and the Marine Corps League will participate.
And in Deerfield, a “Wear Blue: Run to Remember” event is Sunday at 9 a.m., starting with a remembrance circle at Frontier Regional School. Monday’s ceremony begins at 8 a.m. with a gun salute and parade down North Main Street to the town common, followed by visits to local cemeteries.