Medfield to Celebrate Memorial Day with Parade, Ceremony

Residents and officials in Medfield are set to gather on Monday, May 26 to honor Memorial Day with an annual parade and ceremony. 

The parade is set to begin at 9:45 a.m. behind Medfield Town Hall on Janes Avenue and march directly to Baxter Park, where a brief ceremony will be conducted at 10 a.m., officials said this week. In the event of inclement weather, the entire Memorial Day ceremony will be held inside the American Legion Hall at the corner of Rte. 27 and West Street.

Medfield High School Student Tessa Oliver will sing the Star Spangled Banner at the event, and Rev. Leroy Owens of St. Edward the Confessor Church will offer an invocation. This will be the last year for Owens, who has participated in the last 17 Memorial Day ceremonies. 

Retired Medfield Police Chief William Mann will officiate the ceremony this year, and Blake Middle School seventh grader Caillian Sheehy will recite the Gettysburg Address, after which Rob Gregg will offer a special musical reflection on bagpipes, accompanied by Medfield Students. 

Frank Iafolla, Medfield's Director of Veterans Graves and Markers and a Past Commander of the town's American Legion Post 110, will deliver the Memorial Day address this year.

Following the placing of wreaths by Iafolla and American Legion Past Commander Al Manganello, the American Legion honor guard will offer a three-volley salute, and Medfield High School students Dan Rull and Alex Rosenfeld will offer taps following the salutes at various parade stops, according to officials. 

The parade will lead to Vine Lake Cemetery for a salute to those who died at sea, then stop at the veterans section of the ceremony to honor those Missing in Action. 

The parade will ultimately leave Vine Lake Cemetery and head to its final destination of the American Legion Beckwith Post 110 building on Peter Kristof Way. 

A final three-volley salute will be offered to honor all service men and women, followed by the raising of the flag by the Boy Scout Troop 89. 

Parade participants are then welcome to the American Legion hall for refreshments. 

The parade will comprise the following: 

• American Legion Post 110 Legion Color Guard
• American Legion Honor Guard
• American Legion members joined by area service personnel or veterans
• American Legion Float featuring non-marching veterans
• Clergy and Speaker, Selectmen
• American Legion Auxiliary
• Sons of the Legion 
• Medfield High School Band under the direction of Dough Olsen
• Medfield Police Department
• Medfield Fire Department
• Medfield Girl Scouts
• Medfield Cub Scouts
• Medfield Boy Scouts of American 
• Medfield Lions Club

The American Legion Ladies Auxiliary will offer American Flags to children along the parade route, and will offer poppies in exchange for a donation to be used to support area veterans. 

The American Legion Post 110 has invited all active duty service personnel, reservists and National Guard members, as well as all veterans, to join the parade. Any participants who may need a ride should call 508-359-4674. 

Donations to help offset the cost of the parade can be made out to "Town of Medfield" with a designation note for the "Memorial Day Gift Account" and dropped off at Medfield Town Hall or sent to the following address:

Evelyn Clarke
Medfield Town Hall
459 Main St.
Medfield, MA 02052