Memorial Day parades and outdoor festivals

Connecticut towns and tourism officials are steering residents and visitors toward Memorial Day weekend events from Friday, May 22, through Monday, May 25, with a mix of parades, cemetery ceremonies and outdoor festivals across the state. CTvisit, the state’s tourism site, says the May 22-25 weekend lineup includes “parades and remembrances” alongside seasonal events marking the unofficial start of summer. Farmington, Trumbull, Wethersfield and other towns have separately posted schedules for local observances. The events range from traditional marches and wreath-laying ceremonies to museum grounds programs and lawn parties. ### Where are the clearest town-by-town Memorial Day observances? Farmington said in a May 4 notice that its annual Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 25, 2026. The town said the parade begins at 10 a.m. on Main Street and proceeds to Riverside Cemetery, where a commemorative ceremony will honor service members who died in military service. Veterans are encouraged to participate, according to the town notice. (ctvisit.com) Trumbull said its 2026 Memorial Day activities on May 25 will begin with an 8 a.m. wreath-laying at the Vietnam Memorial on White Plains Road. The town said the parade will step off at 10 a.m. from Long Hill Market and end at Town Hall, where a ceremony will honor Grand Marshal Susan Stuban Monks, a former Naval officer and attorney. Wethersfield has scheduled its Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony for Saturday, May 23, rather than Monday. (farmington-ct.org) CTvisit’s event listing says the parade steps off at 9 a.m. in Old Wethersfield, follows a route through State, Garden, Church and Main streets, and is followed by a ceremony near First Church of Christ. ### Which events combine remembrance with festival-style programming? Wethersfield’s May 23 schedule pairs the town parade with the Wethersfield 250 Jubilee, a free event running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Webb Deane Stevens Museum grounds. (trumbull-ct.gov) CTvisit says the program includes a Revolutionary War encampment, traditional trades demonstrations, children’s games, food and a vendor market, beginning immediately after the town’s Memorial Day Parade. (ctvisit.com) Madison Beach Hotel is listed by CTvisit as hosting a “Memorial Day Weekend Summer Kick-Off Lawn Party” on May 24. The same statewide page also lists Enfield’s Memorial Day Parade on May 24 and a broader slate of concerts, cruises, fairs and museum events running through the holiday weekend. ### How broad is the statewide calendar? CTvisit’s “this weekend” page says the Memorial Day weekend listings cover May 22 through May 25. (ctvisit.com) The page highlights remembrances and parades but also includes other attractions, from cruises hosted by Connecticut Audubon and Essex Steam Train & Riverboat to festivals in Branford and Harwinton and exhibitions in Waterford, Hartford-area towns and Norwalk. The tourism site also links to a dedicated Memorial Day weekend page that describes the holiday period as a statewide mix of outdoor festivals, boat excursions, car races and commemorative events. (ctvisit.com) CTvisit’s May activities page separately says Memorial Day in Connecticut is a time to honor those who died in service and directs readers to its events search for additional holiday weekend listings. ### What should readers check before heading out? Farmington said weather-related updates will be posted on the town website and social media platforms if conditions change on May 25. Wethersfield’s event listing says route details and marcher applications are available through the town parade page, while Trumbull said groups that want to march can register online through the town’s form. (ctvisit.com) CTvisit’s statewide listings were current as of May 19, 2026, and show additional events by date, town and region. The next step for readers is to check the CTvisit “this weekend” page and individual town notices for final times, route details and any weather-related changes before Memorial Day weekend begins on May 22. (ctvisit.com) (farmington-ct.org)