Parades, other events make it a weekend to remember

08:33 AM EDT on Thursday, May 27, 2004

SATURDAY

East Greenwich. Prayer breakfast with local World War II veterans, American Legion Post 15, 1016 Main St., East Greenwich. 10 am.

Exeter. Memorial ceremony for Korean War veterans, Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, Korean War Memorial, Route 2, 10 am.

Seekonk. Parade forms at Seekonk High School, Arcade Avenue, 10 am, and heads down Arcade to Newman Avenue to Seekonk Middle School.

Somerset. Memorial Service at Congregational Church, County Street, 10 am. Wreath-laying ceremony, World War II Monument, AmVets Post 72, Brayton Avenue, after service. Veterans gather at the post, 1-4 pm, to view dedication of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

SATURDAY-MONDAY

Avenue of Flags, Pawtuxet Memorial Park, 100 Harrison Ave., Warwick. 781-4600. Display of more than 300 American flags (5 feet by 9 feet) in tribute to U.S. veterans. 9 am-5 pm.

Battleship Cove, exit 5 off Route 195 East, Fall River. (508) 678-1100; www.battleshipcove.org.

Sat. Satellite broadcast of the National World War II Memorial dedication, 2 pm.

Sun. Observance with 21-gun salute, from USS Massachusetts, with raising of the American flag from half-staff, noon.

Mon. Memorial Service honoring those who served during the Vietnam War, noon.

SUNDAY

Attleboro. Attleboro War Veterans Council programs include a sunrise service at the Hillside Cemetery, South Main Street, 8 am, followed by a religious service at Bethany Fellowship Church, Newport Avenue, 10 am.

Bristol. Memorial Sunday services, Rhode Island Veterans Home Chapel, 480 Metacom Ave., 9 am.

Charlestown. Parade steps off at 1 pm from Andrews Hardware, Route 1, to King Tom Drive. 364-3878.

Exeter. Parade steps off at 2 pm at Sunderland and Ten Rod roads, travels down Ten Rod Road to Town Hall for a ceremony.

Johnston. Johnston Recreation Department's Memorial Day Service, Johnston Memorial Park, Hartford Avenue, 9:30 am. Bell ringing and reading of the names of the 42 Johnston men killed in action in World War II, Korea and Vietnam; singing of the national anthem and other appropriate songs; readings and wreath laying. 9:30 am. Memorial service for all veterans and war dead, Graniteville War Monument on the Greens, Putnam Avenue and Mathewson Street, 11:30 am. Rain site is Johnston Fire Station next to the greens.

Little Compton. Flag Retirement Ceremony, conducted by the American Legion, Post 37, in front of Legion Hall, the Commons, 2 pm. All flags to be retired should be turned in before ceremony. To make arrangements to drop off flags or have them picked up, call Bert Chretien, 635-4652.

Narragansett. South County Museum, Metz Exhibit Hall, Strathmore Street, Narragansett. 783-5400. Reading honoring soldiers from South Kingstown and Narragansett who were killed in the Civil War. Museum interpreters portraying William Sprague (governor of Rhode Island when the war began and later a hero in the war) and Albert Greene (a member of the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment) present the reading. Event also includes fiddle music. 2 pm.

Warren. American Legion Post 11 ceremony, Vietnam Memorial, Market Street, 9 am, includes the placing of a wreath and the firing of a cannon by the Warren Federal Blues.

Westport. Service, Acoaxet Chapel, Howland Road, 7 pm. American Legion Post 37 and Auxiliary members invited to assemble at 6:45 p.m. in front of the church.

Woonsocket. Blackstone Valley Tribute, Stadium Theater, Monument Square, Main Street, Woonsocket, featuring music, pageantry and historical reenactments from the World War II and a thousand-flag salute with musical accompaniment by organist Jack Cook on the mighty Wurlitzer. 2 pm. 762-4545.

MONDAY

Attleboro. Parade steps off from the Knights of Columbus Hall, Hodges Street, 10:30 am, proceeds on Hayward Street to North Main Street, across Peck Street on to Bank Street, right on Park Street, left on South Main Street, left on Mill Street to Union Street, and ends with ceremony on Attleboro War Veterans Memorial Common. Ceremony conclude with traditional gun salute and taps played by members of the Attleboro High School Band.

Barrington. United Veterans Council of Barrington. Ceremony at 8:30 am at Victory Gate, Barrington High School, Lincoln Avenue, includes wreath laying, roll call and reading the names of Barrington's veterans who died at war. Parade steps off 9:30 am from Upland Way, travels south turning left onto Barrington Avenue and continues to Maple Avenue, turns left and continues east along Maple Avenue to County Road at Town Hall, where wreath will be placed in front of the Town Hall Honor Roll. Speaking program, music by the Barrington Town Bandand reading of the Gettysburg Address.

Bristol. Parade assembles at North Burial Ground, Hope Street (Route 114), 9:30 am; ceremonies begin at 9:45 am. Bus available to transport individuals from parking lot across from Bristol Town Hall to North Burial Ground ceremonies. Bus leaves Burnside Building at 9 and 9:15 am. After services at North Burial Ground, parade reforms and proceeds south on Hope Street, passes VFW Post 237 for wreath laying, then proceeds to Bristol War Veterans Honor Roll Garden for exercises and speaking program. If it rains, parade canceled and exercise and speaking program held at VFW Post 237 at 10 am.

Burrillville. Ceremony, Berard-Desjarlais Monument, Victory Highway and Route 7, Nasonville, 9:30 am. Mass, St. Patrick Cemetery Chapel, Main Street, Harrisville, 10 am; reception after. ceremony, Freedom Park, Steere Street, Harrisville, 11 am.

Carolina, American Legion-Downey Weaver Post Parade begins 9 am from Carolina Fire Station, Route 112. Ends at Grand Pre Park, across from St. Mary Church.

Cumberland. Cumberland Veterans Council Memorial Ceremonies, Monastery Grounds, Diamond Hill Road, 11 am. Rain site: American Legion Post 14, 690 Broad St.

East Greenwich. Parade begins at 10 am, Swift Gym, Peirce Street, travels to Spring Street Street, Mawney Street, First Avenue and Main Street. Wreath laying ceremony at the War Memorial, Cliff Street and First Avenue, followed by closing ceremony at Town Hall.

East Providence. American Legion Post 10 parade begins at 10 am at the Oldham School, Bullocks Point Avenue, and travels to the square at Turner Avenue to Willett Avenue, and back to post where it ends around 11:30 am.

Exeter. Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, Route 2. Roll call of Rhode Island casualties of the Vietnam War read by Chapter 325, Vietnam Veterans of America, 7 am. Observance, 2 pm.

Fall River. Parade, from Kennedy Park, 2 pm. Units assemble at the park at 1 pm for wreath laying ceremony that includes the sounding of "Taps"and volleys. Parade travels along South Main Sreet, to Bank Street, and proceeds into the Municipal Veterans Memorial Building, 72 Bank St., for final ceremonies. Coffee, pastries served at end of ceremonies.

Foster. American Legion Post 101 Parade, assembles at Foster Center and North roads, 8:30 am; steps off at 8:45 am.

Jamestown. Parade forms at Jamestown School, Lawn Avenue, 9:30 am; steps off at 10 am and proceeds down Watson Avenue to North Main Road and Narragansett Avenue for a ceremony at the cemetery. Concludes with a program and another ceremony at Veterans Memorial Square, at East Ferry.

Lincoln. Memorial Day Breakfast (27th annual), Sayles Memorial Congregational Church, 185 Chapel St., Lincoln. 7:30-10 am. $4.50, children under 12 $2.50. Parade steps off at 11 am from Smithfield Avenue to American Legion Hall, Chapel Street.

Little Compton. Parade forms 9 am at Veterans Field, the Commons, steps off at 10 am marching twice around the Commons, ending on Pike's Peak, at west tip of the Commons, for the memorial service. Rain site is Katherine B. McMahon Middle School Gymnasium.

Newport. United Veterans Council of Newport County. Marine Corps League ceremony at Beirut, Lebanon Memorial/Marine Corps Monument in Perrotti Park, America's Cup Avenue, 10 am. Veterans of Foreign Wars, Conover-Leary Post 406, ceremony at Storer Park by the Goat Island Causeway, 11 am. Speaker ceremony, front lawn of Newport City Hall, Broadway, noon. Veterans Memorial Tower, Hillside Avenue, open to the public, 1-3 pm, weather permitting, in recognition of the significance of the tower as a memorial to the veterans of World War I. Adults and families welcome to climb, but it is a strenuous climb both to the top of the hill and to the top of the tower. Appropriate shoes for climbing are required and binoculars are recommended. Pets and young children are not advised to climb the tower. There is also a lower observation deck about 50 feet up. An adult must accompany all children since the upper section of the 100-foot tower is open and has a steep spiral staircase.

North Kingstown. Parade forms 9:30 am in Wilson Park, steps off at 10 am, follows West Main Street to Brown and Phillips streets, onto Tower Hill Road to the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial on the grounds of Elm Grove Cemetery, for ceremonies at 11 am. Wreath-laying ceremonies at Updike Park's World War Memorial and at Wickford Harbor along the way.

North Smithfield. Parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. from Slatersville Plaza to the VFW Post.

Pawtucket. Pawtucket Veterans Council Ceremonies at the shell at Slater Park, Armistice Boulevard, 9 am; Hiker Monument, Grove and Underwood streets, 9:15 am; Unknown Military Dead inside cemetery, Mineral Spring Avenue, 9:30 am; Veterans Memorial Park, Roosevelt Avenue and Exchange Street, 11 am.

Rehoboth. Parade steps off at 11 am from Rehoboth Congregational Church, Rehoboth Village, proceeds to Route 44 and Danforth Street, turning east to the Palmer River School where memorial service will be held. (508) 252-3324.

Scituate. American Legion Scituate Post 19 parade forms 10 am, Berkander Field and Institute Lane; parade steps off 10:30 am. Ceremonies follow at Old Historical Congregational Church steps, Route 116. If it rains, ceremonies move to North Scituate Community House, 546 West Greenville Rd.

Somerset. Parade begins at 10 am at Somerset High School, Grandview Avenue, stopping at Veterans Green, Riverside Avenue, for a ceremony. Parade then continues to VFW Hall, Washington and County streets for final ceremony and refreshments.

South Attleboro. Parade steps off from the World War II Memorial, Lees Pond, Washington Street, at 8:30 am; proceeds along Route 1, turns right at Route 123 stopping at monuments along the parade route. Closing ceremony at Newell Burying Ground.

South Kingstown. Parade steps off at 10 am from School Street and Kingstown Road, Wakefield, travels to Dale Carlia Corner's Vietnam Veterans Memorial for brief ceremony, and then down Main Street to Saugautucket Park for concluding ceremonies at about 11 am. 789-9301.

Swansea. Mass, St. Michael Church, Ocean Grove, 9 am, followed by memorial and wreath-laying services at Swansea Town Hall (rain site American Legion Post, Ocean Grove Avenue). Parade, 1 pm; participants asked to assemble at noon at Our Lady of Fatima Church parking lot, Gardners Neck Road.

Warren. American Legion Post 11 exercises at State Street Wharf include flower tossing into the river in memory of service personnel lost at sea, 8 am, and at Town Common, State and Church streets, 8:15 am. Parade steps off at the common, 8:30 am, and heads west on State Street to Water Street, turns north on Water Street to corner of Main Street, where it stops at North Burial Ground for firing by the National Guard and the Federal Blues and playing of "Taps." Parade continues south on Main Street to Sowamset Avenue, where it heads east to South Burial Ground for exercises.

West Greenwich. Parade steps off at 1:30 pm at Coventry/West Greenwich town line, Route 102, and travels to Town Hall, where there will be a wreath-laying ceremony.

Westerly. Parade forms at 9 am behind the Pawcatuck Shopping Center and steps off at 9:30 am; proceeds down West Broad Street after a short ceremony at the World War I Monument at West Broad Street and Pequot Trail. Parade stops at Pawcatuck River Bridge, where flowers will be cast into the river, then proceeds along Main and Union streets, up High Street and into Wilcox Park at the bandstand for closing ceremonies. 9:30 am. 596-0837.

Westport. War veterans programs begin with ceremonies at VFW Hall, 843 State Rd., 8 am, and continue at the American Legion Hall, Sanford Road, followed by brief ceremony at Latessa Square. Group returns to Town Hall to assemble for parade that begins at 10 am, and ends at Beech Grove Cemetery with a wreath laying ceremony and prayers. Refreshments served after final ceremonies at Town Hall.

Woonsocket. Parade steps off at 10 am at Cumberland and Social streets and ends at City Hall.