UPDATE 11/9/2022: Town of Leonardtown has gone ahead and cancelled the parade due to a 80-100% chance of rain on Friday.
An abbreviated version of the Memorial Ceremony will be held upstairs at Town Hall, located at 22670 Washington Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650) at 11 a.m. The VIP Breakfast has also been cancelled, but refreshments will still be provided for the attendees.
Note! If the rain clears, we plan to go outside to lay the wreaths. If not, we’ll do it inside and the Town will put out the wreaths at a later time.
In the event of heavy rain and dangerous conditions, the Ceremony will be cancelled as well and the Town will make arrangements to place the wreaths at a later date.
11/5/2022: The public is invited to salute America’s Veterans at the 2022 Veterans Day Parade in Leonardtown. The parade, sponsored by the Commissioners of Leonardtown and the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County, takes place Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, at 9:45 a.m. and begins at St. Mary’s Ryken High School and will proceed along Fenwick Street and through Town Square.
Immediately following the parade, citizens are invited to Town Square for a Veterans Memorial Ceremony. This ceremony will commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway with remarks from veterans and dignitaries.
The ceremony will conclude with laying the wreaths on the memorials. Veterans and family members of those who served during this war effort are encouraged to contact Brandy Blackstone at: [email protected], to be recognized during the ceremony.
Honored dignitaries scheduled to attend include Congressman Steny Hoyer, Senator Jack Bailey, the Commissioners of Leonardtown, the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County, and other honored guests.
Inclement Weather Plan – Due to forecasted inclement weather conditions, a decision about whether to cancel the parade will be made and a notification posted no later than Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 3 p.m. and will be announced at: VisitLeonardtownMD.com/VeteransDay and Facebook.com/TownofLeonardtown as well as on the St. Mary’s County Government website at: www.stmaryscountymd.gov.
In the event of the cancellation of the parade, the Memorial Ceremony will be held inside the Leonardtown Town Hall, 22670 Washington Street in Leonardtown at 11 a.m.
Parking Information: Parade Participants, please note 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 between 7:45 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. The last shuttle leaves from the Middle School to Ryken at 9:00 a.m.
Parents are asked to refrain from dropping their children at St. Mary’s Ryken High School, along the roadside or at the intersection for safety reasons.
Parking for Spectators: Spectators should park at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, the St. Mary’s County Governmental Center or the College of Southern Maryland. At the Governmental Center, spectators should use the lots adjacent to the Carter State Office Building (23115 Leonard Hall Drive in Leonardtown).
Washington Street and Fenwick Street leading into downtown Leonardtown will be closed to traffic from 8 a.m. until noon. Downtown parking and through traffic will be limited to areas accessible from Lawrence Avenue for residents, business owners and employees only. Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office will provide traffic control and parade volunteers will assist with parking and street detours.
Handicapped Parking: Spectators requiring handicapped parking may take Lawrence Avenue and (upon showing proof of a handicapped sticker or need) will be allowed to park in the public lot beside the Hair Company.
Contact Brandy Blackstone, Public Relations & Events Coordinator, Commissioners of Leonardtown’s Office, at 301-475-9791, or email [email protected] for questions about the parade or the Wreath Laying Ceremony.
