Old Saybrook’s Memorial Day Parade will take place on Monday, May 27, at 10 a.m., weather permitting. A ceremony after the parade will take place rain or shine.

Assembly for the parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Stop and Shop parking lot on Elm Street. Organizers note the parade will start promptly at 10 a.m., and the route will cross Route 1 to Main Street and then to the town green, where a ceremony will take place. Gil Simmons, a United States Marine Corps veteran and Chief Meteorologist for NEWS8 WTNH, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the event.

In the case of rain, the parade will be canceled, and a ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at the Old Saybrook Fire Headquarters at 310 Main Street.

A press release states that all veterans are invited to attend the parade and ceremony. Rides in the parade are available for those unable to march. Those interested should contact Max Sabrin, Old Saybrook 2024 Memorial Day Parade Committee member, at 860-395-5550.

“It’s open to anyone, not just Old Saybrook residents. Anyone as long as they’re a veteran,” Sabrin said.

Prior to the parade, a naval wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Saybrook Point Pavilion parking at 9 a.m. That ceremony will take place rain or shine and is held specifically to honor service members who lost their lives during naval battles. This ceremony is typically more somber than the parade festivities.

“It’s a pretty special event,” Sabrin said. The naval ceremony is also open to the public.

Sabrin said that there are a couple of unique additions to the festivities this year. Lennell Hollman, a U.S. Army National Guard Veteran who may be familiar to residents as the man often seen on Route 1 by the Westbrook border waving an American flag, will be participating in the parade.

“People know him as the Flag Man. He’s out there all the time waving the flag. This will be his third time participating in the parade, and people just love him,” Sabrin said.

The day will also include a military transport plane flyover of the parade route provided by the Connecticut Air National Guard between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., assuming the weather cooperates.

“When they come it’s loud and it’s big. They’ll do two or three sweeps, and it’s very impressive people really like it,” Sabrin said.

Sabrin acknowledged that some people may view Memorial Day as a long weekend that marks the unofficial beginning of summer, however Sabrin says it’s important to remember the actual meaning of the day is to honor those that gave their life for their country.

“The town of Old Saybrook lost a lot of residents in World War One, World War Two, Korea, and Vietnam. It’s special to the town to honor them,” Sabrin said.

“It’s important to take time when you have your barbeques and have fun, to remember those that sacrificed and gave us freedom, and to celebrate them while we have our fun,” Sabrin said. “It’s just a day to say thank you,” he added.

Sabrin estimated that the parade and ceremony will take around 90 minutes to two hours to complete.