Where to celebrate Veterans Day in Franklin County in 2023

Tom Travis of Greenfield, center, and other veterans at the 2022 Veterans Day ceremony in Greenfield.

Tom Travis of Greenfield, center, and other veterans at the 2022 Veterans Day ceremony in Greenfield. STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

Petty Officer Third Class Roger Huard and Senior Airman Cody Gebo fold the American flag at Sunderland Elementary School’s Veterans Day ceremony in 2022.

Petty Officer Third Class Roger Huard and Senior Airman Cody Gebo fold the American flag at Sunderland Elementary School’s Veterans Day ceremony in 2022. STAFF FILE PHOTO/CHRIS LARABEE

Published: 11-08-2023 3:57 PM

Editor’s note: Below is a list of Veterans Day ceremonies being held across Franklin County. Know of an event that isn’t listed? Feel free to send details to news@recorder.com.

Greenfield

The Upper Pioneer Valley Veterans’ Service District will honor the military community with its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 11.

The Veterans Day parade begins at 10 a.m. at Greenfield Middle School. The parade will travel down Federal Street before taking a right onto Main Street. From there, a short walk onto Main Street will conclude at Veterans Mall for a reflective speaking ceremony.

Martin Mulvihill from Northfield will be this year’s guest speaker. Mulvihill, who served in the United States Army and National Guard, recently began working as the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corp instructor at Ralph C. Mahar Regional School in Orange.

Veterans organizations participating in the parade include local representatives from the Marine Corps League, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Department of Disabled Veterans. Other community groups, such as the Greenfield Middle School and Greenfield High School bands and local Boy and Girl Scout troops, will also participate.

Veterans, businesses, nonprofits and other groups interested in walking in the parade should contact the Upper Pioneer Valley Veterans’ Service District office at 413-772-1571. All parade participants must arrive at Greenfield Middle School by 9:30 a.m. for the parade line-up.

Montague

■The Montague Elks Lodge will host a Veterans Day Prime Rib Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 11. Cocktails will be served starting at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased from the bartender on duty or any member of the Veterans Committee.

■The Soldiers Memorial Committee will hold a ceremony at Soldiers Memorial Park on Avenue A in Turners Falls starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. There will be speeches followed by the “11th Hour Ceremony,” courtesy of the Montague Elks Club.

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■Local band Tracy and Company and Pioneer Valley Brewery will co-host an event to benefit the Upper Pioneer Valley Veterans’ Services District on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 4 to 10 p.m. Music will begin at 6 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m. There will be food for sale, raffles and door prizes. Tickets for the grand prize raffle, with prizes including 100 gallons of heating oil, 1 ton of wood pellets and one cord of wood, are $10 each and are available at Pioneer Valley Brewery. Tickets can also be purchased by emailing Tracy McGivern-Odle at tracyandcompany123@gmail.com.

Orange

■Veterans are invited to Veterans Day programs at Fisher Hill Elementary School and Ralph C. Mahar Regional School on Thursday, Nov. 9. There will be a program at Fisher Hill at 9 a.m. At Mahar, there will be Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corp events for middle-schoolers from 9 to 10 a.m., for freshmen and sophomores from 10:10 to 11:10 a.m., and juniors and seniors from 1 to 2 p.m.

■Orange American Legion Post 172 is having a Veterans Day breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. Veterans eat for free. Meal tickets for all others cost $7. Call the American Legion at 978-544-6023 or stop by to reserve a spot.

Sunderland

The town’s 15th annual Veterans Day ceremony, which includes Sunderland Elementary School students, is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 9, at 9:30 a.m. at the school.