BG plans Memorial Day parade and ceremony for May 30

Bowling Green Memorial Day ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. Monday May 29 when the parade steps off from the Post Office on Washington Street. The parade will proceed for to the courthouse and then to Oak Grove Cemetery. Civil War re-enactors at Wood County Courthouse for Memorial Day 2019.

In conjunction with the Memorial Day Parade, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 30, several Bowling Green streets will be temporarily closed while the parade is in motion.

Street closures will be “rolling” meaning that roads will be closed shortly before the parade goes by and will re-open once the parade is past. The following parade route will be taken:

  • Parade starts at Washington Street.
  • Parade will travel on North Main Street from Washington to Court Street.
  • At Court, the parade will turn east and proceed to Thurstin Avenue.
  • Parade will turn north on Thurstin and proceed to Ridge Street for pedestrians and Merry Avenue for vehicles.
  • Via Ridge and Merry, the parade will end at Oak Grove Cemetery.

The parade will also stop at the Wood County Courthouse for the laying of a wreath.

Immediately following the parade, the Bowling Green Memorial Day Planning Committee will host a ceremony in Oak Grove Cemetery to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country. 

The master of ceremony will be Colonel (Retired) Greg Robinette.  Pat Carney, BG Middle School teacher, will deliver the keynote address. Evie Van Vorhis will sing the National Anthem. Father Jeff Walker will provide the invocation, Mayor Mike Aspacher will recite Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, Logan’s Orders will be presented by Joseph Fawcett, BG Director of Public Services and Global War on Terrorism veteran, and a patriotic poem will be read by Tony Hetrick, BG Chief of Police and US Air Force veteran.

Anyone going directly to the cemetery should use Merry Street for access. Note that only pedestrians will be allowed access to the Ridge entrance.