The 46th Annual Veterans Day Parade & Memorial Wreath Laying Ceremony takes place on Thursday, November 11, 2021 from 10 AM – 1 PM. The Commissioners of St.Mary’s County and the Commissioners of Leonardtown invite the public to salute America’s Veterans at the Annual Veterans Day Parade in Leonardtown! The parade steps off from St. Mary’s Ryken High School, proceeds through Town Square and is immediately followed by a Memorial Ceremony in historic Leonardtown Square.
The public is invited to salute America’s Veterans at the 2021 Veterans Day Parade in Leonardtown. Immediately following the parade, citizens are invited to Town Square for a Veterans Memorial Ceremony. This year’s ceremony will commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor with remarks from veterans and dignitaries and conclude with laying the wreaths on the memorials.
Road Closures: The roads will close from Shadrick St.. to Courthouse Drive at 8 a.m. for preparation and setup for the event. The parade steps off from Ryken High School at 9:45 a.m. and is usually 1 – 1 1/2 hours in length. The parade ends at approximately 11:30 a.m. and the main roads will open. Only the Upper Square from Fenwick St. to Park Ave. will remain closed for the Wreath Laying Ceremony that takes place directly after the end of the parade. The Square will open after the completion of the Ceremony at approximately 12 p.m.
Parking and Shuttle Information: Parade participants are requested to be in place at the staging area at St. Mary’s Ryken High School no later than 9:15 a.m. and be aware of the following:
Parade vehicles, including buses, floats, cars, trucks and motorcycles, should report directly to the staging area at St. Mary’s Ryken High School between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. All parade vehicles – except emergency vehicles – should be parked by 8 a.m.
Marching groups and other parade participants should park at Leonardtown Middle School and take the shuttle to St. Mary’s Ryken High School between 7:45 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Parents are asked to refrain from dropping their children off at St. Mary’s Ryken High School, along the roadside or at the intersection for safety reasons.
Parking for Spectators: The parking lot adjacent to the Courthouse on Courthouse Drive is reserved for school buses and shuttles only. Parking for spectators and parade participants will not be available at the Courthouse. Spectators are asked to park at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, the St. Mary’s County Governmental Center or the College of Southern Maryland and ride one of the complimentary, round-trip shuttles into Town. Free parking and shuttles will also be available at all three of these locations. At the Governmental Center, spectators are asked to park in the lots adjacent to the Carter State Office Building located at 23115 Leonard Hall Drive in Leonardtown. Wheelchair-accessible shuttles will be available at both locations. The return-shuttle stop for both sites is located across from The Olde Town Pub on the corner of Washington and Shadrick Streets. Spectators and participants using the shuttles may encounter delays due to crowding. Your patience and understanding are appreciated.
Handicapped Parking: Spectators requiring handicapped parking may take Washington Street and (upon showing proof of a handicapped sticker or need) will be allowed to park in the public lot beside the Hair Company. Download the Handicap Parking Map.
Inclement Weather Plan: In the event of inclement weather, the parade will be canceled, and the Memorial Ceremony will take place inside the Leonardtown Town Hall, 22670 Washington Street in Leonardtown. The cancellation decision will be made by 8 a.m. Nov. 11, 2021, and a cancellation notice will be posted on this page and Facebook (Facebook.com/TownofLeonardtown) pages as well as on the St. Mary’s County Government website StMarysMD.com.
