Memorial Day: Naperville Honors Those Who Made Ultimate Sacrifice

Thousands of people attended the Memorial Day Parade in Downtown Naperville.

Thousands of parade-goers lined the streets Monday as the Naperville Memorial Day Parade made its way through downtown Naperville. With flags waving and the crowd in patriotic red, white and blue they cheered as the bands, scouts and other participants passed by. The crowd showed respect to the Gold Star families who lost a child while service to the country.  In a moving ceremony, two wreaths were laid in honor of the dead - one in the DuPage River to honor those lost at sea, the other at a veterans memorial. Taps was played and an honor guard conducted a 21 gun salute. The warm weather didn't stop the crowds from attending the parade, but some people did leave before it ended. After the event, some children (and a few adults) sought to …

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Memorial Day Parade Pays Tribute to Nation's Heroes

The Naperville Memorial Day Parade will kick off at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

The men and women who served the country and who died while serving will be honored Monday during the Naperville Memorial Day Parade. The Memorial Day Parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will include more than 80 different groups marching, including 21 marching bands performing over the course of the parade. The parade begins at Centennial Beach and continues east along Jackson Avenue, north on Washington Street, east on Benton Avenue and south on Court Place.  Find information on Memorial Day Parade street closures and Memorial Day closings  Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May and commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time, …

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Memorial Day Parade Shines Brightly

Sun and warm weather offers parade goers a pleasant Memorial Day Parade.

Although water from the DuPage River ran over parts of the Riverwalk— closing portions of the walkway —there wasn’t a rain cloud in sight at the Naperville Memorial Parade. Instead, the sun shined brightly upon thousands of spectators on Monday morning. Kelly Evans, 39, of Naperville, said this year’s weather was a major plus compared to the rain storms at the 2010 parade. “We got five minutes of parade last year and then we had to get out of here,” Evans said. “The weather is definitely quite a change from last year.” Last year’s torrential downpour brought a sad ending to Joel Johnson’s parade. Johnson, a veteran of the Marine Corps, was selected to lead the parade in 2010. But, Mother Nature wouldn’t rain on Johnson’s parade twice. The …

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Mom's Eye View

Memorial Day Means Parades, Remembering

Besides barbecuing, this mother will be doing some reflecting as well.

Last year I was volunteering at my kids’ elementary school and I could hear “God Bless America…” coming from the gym. Children were lined up by the school stage facing the audience, singing. “Land that I love…” There were veterans in the front row. And to my surprise, I found myself fighting back tears. “Stand beside her and guide her through the night with a light from above…” What struck me about that lovely moment was that the very reason those veterans risked their lives was to preserve our way of life, Americans’ way of life, for those very kids who were singing. “From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam…” It was a powerful thank you. And although the song was part of a Veterans Day celebration, thinking of …

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Viewfinder: Celebrations Around Town

In our weekly feature we will document what is happening around Naperville.

This week's Viewfinder highlights celebrations around Naperville, from Saturday's St. Patrick's Day parade to Sunday's homecoming of Nathan Strieter from Afghanistan. If you have an event perfect for this column, contact Mary Ann Lopez at maryl@patch.com or Carrie Frillman at carrie@patch.com.

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Video Highlights: St. Patrick's Day Parade

For those who missed it, the sights were great at the West Suburban Irish St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Naperville. But a St. Patrick's Day parade just wouldn't be the same without everything set to the soundtrack of bagpipes.

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Labor Day Parade Treats Crowd With Music, Candy and Fun

Navigating a new route and featuring fewer participants, the Naperville Labor Day Parade thrills thousands.

Some kids roamed the streets playing with hockey sticks and soccer balls, and others sold cold pop to folks sitting along the sidewalk. But once the sirens of three police motorcycles sounded, the children all ran back to their parents. The Naperville Labor Day Parade was on its way. Paul DeKruiff, co-chair of the parade, estimates that thousands of spectators lined the route for the two-hour parade. At multiple spots, the crowd extended five rows deep from the sidewalk. Onlookers were treated to the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, Curious George and a choreographed routine featuring library carts, performed by affiliates of the Naperville Public Library. At times, children dashed from their mom's or dad's lap to get a closer look at the antique…

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