A shot from the Red Bank Centennial parade held May 17, 2008. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
If it seems like ages since Red Bank had a parade other than its annual Halloween costumefest, well yeah. Was the last civic parade really 11 years ago, to mark the borough’s first century as an independent entity?
The Parks and Rec department hopes to end the dry spell by bringing back a lost tradition two weeks from today: the Memorial Day parade.
Department director Charlie Hoffmann isn’t sure when the last one was held. But the parks and rec committee “thought it would be a better way” of celebrating veterans to have both a parade and the solemn ceremony that’s been held annually at the Veterans Monument, at Monmouth Street and Drummond Place, Hoffmann said.
So on Monday, May 27, weather permitting, marchers and other participants will travel from Irving Place north on Broad Street to the monument for the traditional ceremony.
On board for the event are three horses from Serenity Stables in Middletown, which employs “equine therapy” to improve the lives of service members, vets and their families; classic cars driven by members of the Antique Motoring Club of Monmouth County (and transporting veterans); the Red Bank Regional High marching band; the bagpipes of the Atlantic Watch; a float and more.
Line-up is slated for 11 a.m., with push-off scheduled for noon.
In the event of rain, the parade will be canceled and the memorial ceremony will be held at the Red Bank Elks #233 on West Front Street at 12:45 p.m. More information is available from the parks and rec department at 732-530-2782 or [email protected].
