Longtime Chicago Memorial Day parade goes virtual
Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
CHICAGO - A Memorial Day parade on Chicago’s North Side that’s been around for more than a half century is going forward virtually this year.
The Wellington-Oakdale Old Glory Marching Society says Monday’s parade that’s being held online because of the coronavirus pandemic will feature appearances by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Secretary of State Jesse White, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley and others.
The parade will feature a lot of the elements familiar to anyone who has attended the parade in the last 56 years, starting with a Pledge of Allegiance led by neighborhood children. There will also be videos of past parades and people who tune in will be able to share photos and videos via social media of themselves marching.
To mark the first virtual parade in the Wellington-Oakdale Old Glory Marching Society’s history, organizers have tweaked the well known motto of “Everybody Marches, Nobody (just) Watches” to Everybody Marches, and Everybody Watches.”