City of Chicago Memorial Day Parade 2026

The City of Chicago will mark Memorial Day on Saturday, May 23, with an 11 a.m. wreath-laying ceremony at Richard J. Daley Center Plaza, followed by the city’s annual parade at noon through the Loop. City officials said the event honors U.S. service members who died in military service. The ceremony is scheduled for 50 W. Washington St. and the parade route is listed along Dearborn Street, running from Lake Street to Van Buren Street. Fox 32 Chicago also included the downtown parade in its Memorial Day weekend roundup. ### Where and when does the commemoration begin? Saturday, May 23, is the date set by the city for both parts of the observance. The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events said the wreath-laying ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at Richard J. Daley Center Plaza in downtown Chicago. (chicago.gov) Daley Center Plaza, at 50 W. Washington St., is the gathering point before the parade. Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism arm, repeated the same timing and location in its event listing for the commemoration. ### What route will the parade take through downtown? Noon is the scheduled step-off time for the parade, according to the city and Choose Chicago. (chicago.gov) The route is listed along Dearborn Street, beginning at Lake Street and continuing south to Van Buren Street. Dearborn Street is the route named in the city’s May 19 release and on the city’s parade page. (chicago.gov) That route information is the most direct guidance for spectators planning where to watch in the Loop. ### Who is being honored and who is taking part? Memorial Day is the focus of the ceremony, and the city said the event will honor “the men and women of the United States Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation.” The city said Master Sergeant Adam Shaw, U.S. (chicago.gov) Army, retired, is scheduled to emcee the ceremony. Choose Chicago said the parade will feature veterans’ groups, active-duty service members and marching bands. That lineup matches the event’s longstanding role as one of the city’s formal civic observances for Memorial Day weekend. ### Where should spectators look for viewing information? Fox 32 Chicago listed the annual Memorial Day parade downtown as one of its featured Memorial Day weekend events. (chicago.gov) Its guide points readers to downtown activity over the holiday weekend and can help visitors place the parade among other city events on Saturday and Sunday. (choosechicago.com) The City of Chicago’s event page provides the clearest logistical details, including the ceremony time, the Daley Center address and the parade route. Choose Chicago carries the same core information in a visitor-facing format. ### What should people know before heading downtown? Downtown Chicago is likely to be busier than usual on May 23 because the parade falls on the opening weekend of the broader Memorial Day holiday period. (fox32chicago.com) The city has not, in the material reviewed, published a separate ticketing requirement for the event, and the parade is presented as a public downtown observance. (chicago.gov) Lake Street, Van Buren Street and Daley Center Plaza are the main landmarks named in the official listings, giving spectators a clear frame for arrival and viewing. The next scheduled milestone is the 11 a.m. wreath-laying ceremony on Saturday, May 23, followed by the noon parade through the Loop. (chicago.gov)