FREEHOLD – After being scuttled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Freehold Borough’s annual Memorial Day parade will return in 2021.
The 147th Memorial Day parade will be held on Memorial Day, May 31. The parade will be preceded by a Service of Reflection to be held at Elks Point at 8:30 a.m. All members of the community are invited to attend the service.
The Service of Reflection is held to honor the memory of all Freehold and other American servicemen and servicewomen who have lost their lives defending the United States.
The parade will begin at 9:45 a.m. at the corner of Brinckerhoff Avenue and West Main Street. A casket covered by an American flag will be accompanied by active military personnel.
At 10 a.m., representatives of local veterans organizations will begin their march along West Main Street, followed by the rest of the parade participants.
Borough Councilman George Schnurr estimated that about 45 groups will participate in the 2021 parade as the pandemic continues to wind down; the number of participating groups is down a bit from the average of about 70 units.
Residents of all communities are invited to visit Freehold Borough and to line up along West Main Street to view the parade.
The lead veterans organization for the parade is Jewish War Veterans Post 359. The theme of this year’s parade, as decided by the post, is “Veterans Continue to Serve.”
The grand marshal, as selected by the JWV, will be Carl Steinberg, a former member of the Borough Council. As a member of the Elks Club, Steinberg was the chairman of the World War II Monument Committee.
The grand marshal is generally a veteran. Although Steinberg is not a veteran, Schnurr said, “Carl has done a lot, not just for this town, but for Monmouth County. He is not a veteran, but the veterans decided to make him the grand marshal. That ought to tell you a lot. It’s quite an honor.”
Schnurr thanked the members of the Memorial Day Parade Committee for their work in organizing the parade.
“The parade has grown exponentially in recent years under the direction of our many dedicated volunteers, most notably Chairperson Alice McCobb and Vice Chair Amanda McCobb, who are the glue that hold everything together,” the councilman said. “I would like to thank them for all of their hard work, not just now, but throughout the entire year.
“I would also like to thank the Streets and Roads Department and the Police Department for helping us get Freehold Borough ready for the parade,” Schnurr said.