Great Places – Part 9
So, our Great Places series has taken a few turns over the last couple of weeks with some different holidays and events. This week will be no different with the Memorial Day holiday this weekend. So, why do we celebrate Memorial Day? It’s to honor those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and for those who risk their lives every day for our freedom and security. And Fayette County has more parades and ceremonies for Memorial Day than any other place I have ever seen.
In the past there have been Memorial parades and ceremonies in Scottdale, Fairchance, Smithfield, Dunbar, Newell, Mt. Pleasant, Masontown and New Salem. Check local calendars to see if your town will be hosting a Memorial Day parade.
Last year I covered the program at Sylvan Heights Cemetery in Uniontown, and it was extremely moving. This year there will be programs in Connellsville, Dunbar and Uniontown on Monday. Fairchance will have a parade on Saturday, and the Grindstone American Legion will have a service at Lafayette memorial Park on Sunday.
The Albert Gallatin Regatta is this weekend in Point Marion. The regatta parade begins at 11 a.m. at the Point Marion fire department and ends at Community Park. One of the highlights of the regatta parade is the regatta queen contestants who ride in the procession before the contest. The Regatta Queen pageant, which has a girl from each area school, is usually around 1 p.m.