Medford's Memorial Day Observance Will Be In Person

MEDFORD, MA — Medford will hold its traditional Memorial Day ceremony at Oak Grove Ceremony on Monday, May 31, and residents are invited to attend, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn and Veterans Services Director Michael Durham announced Thursday.

The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Due to current gathering limits, no more than 250 people will be able to gather at the event. The observance will also air on Medford Community Media Monday afternoon.

The ceremony was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's ceremony will be the first larger event the city has hosted since the start of the pandemic, due in large part to vaccine availability, reduced positive cases of COVID-19 in Medford and loosening restrictions statewide, officials said.

"I am excited and honored that we are able to honor our Veterans with a full ceremony this Memorial Day," Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn said in a statement. "To be able to honor those individuals who give their lives to protect our freedom and serve our country is so important - not just on Memorial but every day. Being able to come together as a community on this day of remembrance is truly special, and I hope Medford community members will join us for this special ceremony."

Residents are invited to attend the Memorial Day Ceremony but will be asked to practice social distancing and wear a mask while attending the ceremony. City staff will be available with hand sanitizer and to assist with attendees' questions during the ceremony.

"The residents of Medford have been marking our cemetery for Memorial Day every year since 1868 to remember, and celebrate, those who sacrificed to secure our freedom," Durham said. "I invite everyone who would like to come to attend our Memorial Day ceremony at Oak Grove Cemetery this year. That way we can remember the fallen, remember their cause, and show the families they left behind that their sacrifice is valued in our community."

Volunteers Sought for Placing Flags at Veterans’ Graves

In advance of Memorial Day, American Legion Post 45 will decorate veterans’ grave sites with more than 8,500 American Flags. American Legion is seeking volunteers to assist with posting flags on Saturday, May 15, and Saturday, May 22, beginning at 9am. Interested volunteers can fill out this form to sign up: https://tinyurl.com/ybftvan9, or contact Sean Fitzpatrick at 978-398-3624 or John Granara at 781-983-6931.