DETROIT LAKES — Detroit Lakes' Memorial Day festivities will once again begin with a parade this year.
The 10 a.m. parade, which made a comeback last year after a two-year COVID hiatus, will begin at Veterans Memorial Park and proceed south down Washington Avenue to the roundabout adjacent to the City Park.
American Legion Post 15 Commander Larry Krosko said that any businesses or organizations that would like to sign up for participation in the parade should contact him at 320-360-1702.
The parade will be followed by an 11 a.m. program inside the Detroit Lakes Pavilion, featuring Detroit Lakes Mayor Matt Brenk as well as keynote speaker Tom Frank, a U.S. Army veteran and retired teacher.
Krosko noted that another Memorial Day weekend tradition, the Avenue of Flags at Oak Grove Cemetery, will once again make its debut on the afternoon of Friday, May 26, with more than 650 American flags remaining on display throughout the weekend. They will be taken down Tuesday morning, May 30.
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Just about a half-hour drive north on Highway 59, Ogema VFW Post 9880 and its Auxiliary will be making Memorial Day cemetery visits throughout the morning. The group will assemble at the Ogema VFW Hall at 7:30 a.m., then visit a dozen local cemeteries according to the following schedule:
- St. Columba’s Episcopal Cemetery, White Earth, 8:15 a.m.
- Bethel Lutheran Cemetery, White Earth, 8:30 a.m.
- White Earth Veteran’s Cemetery, 8:45 a.m.
- Assembly of God Cemetery, White Earth, 9 a.m.
- Calvary Catholic Cemetery, White Earth, 9:15 a.m.
- Aura Finnish Cemetery, Goat Ranch Road, 9:40 a.m.
- Callaway City Cemetery, 10:15 a.m.
- Ogema City Cemetery, 10:45 a.m.
- Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Cemetery, Ogema, 10:50 a.m.
- Waubun City Cemetery, 11:30 a.m.
- St. Ann's Catholic Cemetery, Waubun, 11:45 a.m.
- Lake Grove Cemetery, 12:15 p.m.
Assumption Catholic Church of Callaway will be offering a Memorial Day Mass prior to the VFW program at the Callaway Cemetery. The 8:45 a.m. mass will be followed by coffee and fellowship until the start of the 10:15 a.m. VFW program at the cemetery.
Egelund Lutheran Church in Rochert will serve a light lunch on Memorial Day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is a free-will offering, with proceeds to be used for upkeep of the church and its cemetery. All are welcome.
Over in Perham, VFW Post 4020 and its Auxiliary will host a Memorial Day breakfast and program at the In Their Own Words (ITOW) Museum, 805 West Main, Perham. A breakfast of pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee will be served by the VFW Auxiliary from 8 a.m. to noon, with admission as a free-will donation. A silent auction benefiting area veterans will be taking place at the museum throughout the morning, and there will be a Memorial Day program at 10:15 a.m.
In Wadena, Memorial Day festivities will get underway with a 7 a.m. flag raising at the Wadena Cemetery Memorial Wall, to be held rain or shine.
The program at the cemetery gets underway at 9 a.m. and will include a welcome from VFW Post 3922 Commander Phil Thoennes; music from the Wadena Area Community Band, conducted by Steve Anderson; and a keynote address from Dr. William M. Rose, DVM, a native of Moorhead who served in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War and was wounded in battle. He went on to graduate from the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine, and in 1976, opened his veterinary practice in Perham, which he continues to operate today.
In case of bad weather, the 9 a.m. program will be moved to the Wadena Memorial Auditorium (behind the elementary school).
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