Bristol Memorial Day ceremonies, parade to remember fallen heroes

Residents are invited to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by military members in the defense of freedom as Bristol pays tribute to fallen soldiers for Memorial Day this weekend.

The main event — the Memorial Day Parade — is scheduled for Monday morning, but the celebration actually begins on Friday as members of the local VFW install a monument in Bristol Town Hall, kicking off a series of events over four days.

It begins Friday, May 26, at noon, when the VFW dedicates an “Honor Chair” in remembrance of Prisoners of War and soldiers Missing In Action in Bristol Town Hall. Designed to remind residents about the sacrifices made by American military members, the chair remains perpetually empty, giving a permanent seat to all Prisoners of War, soldiers Missing In Action, and those who have died overseas defending the country.

After the chair dedication, VFW members will visit Colt Andrews School at 2 p.m., according to Commander Karl Antonevish. The war veterans will talk about the importance of the American flag and demonstrate how to properly fold the banner in military style.

On Saturday, at noon, the dedications continue as VFW members unveil a statue in honor of Sgt. P. Andrew McKenna in a still-under-construction park next to the VFW Hall on Hope Street. The wooded area has been cleared as part of local student Andrew Borge’s Eagle Scout community service project. While more work is needed to complete the park, the statue will remember Bristolian McKenna, who died during an attack in Afghanistan in 2015.

On Sunday, dignitaries will attend a memorial Mass at the RI Veterans Home off Metacom Avenue, before Monday’s main event.

The day begins with a ceremony and speaking program featuring local veterans and dignitaries at North Burial Ground at 9:30 a.m. The parade steps off soon after, heading south on Hope Street to the War Memorial Garden outside the Burnside Building downtown. There, Memorial Day services will wrap up with the annual wreath laying.

The parade is expected to feature local fife and drum corps, the Mt. Hope High School marching band and various Navy groups from Newport, Mr. Antonevich said.

“There will be lots of kids children involved - scouts and kids from the Little League,” said Mr. Antonevich, who organized much of the ceremony’s planning. “It’s a nice parade. Then, it’s time to sit back in a lawn chair and do nothing.”

In the event of rain, the parade will be cancelled but the ceremony will go on as scheduled at 9:30 a.m. in the Bristol Train of Artillery on State Street.