Chicago’s Memorial Day Parade honors all men and woman who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country.

The Wreath Laying Ceremony will begin at 11am at Daley Plaza (50 W. Washington Street). The Parade will step off at noon and proceed south on State Street from Lake Street to Van Buren Street. Rear Admiral Zeita Merchant, U.S. Coast Guard will serve as this year’s Parade Grand Marshal. Rear Admiral Merchant, who was born in Chicago, recently made history by becoming the first African American female promoted to flag rank in U.S. Coast Guard history.

This year’s Major General John A. Logan Patriot Award will honor André Richardson King; and the City of Chicago will acknowledge two Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) students with the Cadets of the Year Award: C/LTC Lorena Mozo of Farragut Career Academy and C/Capt Fernando Gonzalez of Marine Leadership Academy.

During the Wreath Laying Ceremony and Parade, the City of Chicago honors fallen heroes and Gold Star family members who have lost a loved one in the United States Armed Forces to combat operations or while on active duty. Approved by Congress beginning in 1947, Gold Star Lapel Pins and the Next of Kin Lapel Pins are presented to families not as an award, but as symbols of honor worn by family members in remembrance of their fallen loved ones and their ultimate sacrifice.

The Wreath Laying Ceremony at 11am will also be livestreamed at Chicago.gov/live.

More information at about this event  can be found here: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/memorial_day_parade.html