Lake Region Color Guard to hold Washington Avenue parade on Memorial Day

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Lake Region Color Guard will parading down Washington Avenue in Detroit Lakes on Memorial Day beginning at 10 a.m.

Larry Krosko, a member of the color guard, said area veterans will be participating parade and also members of law enforcement.

“Basically, it’s the same thing we’ve always had for Memorial Day and it tends to be a smaller parade because a lot of people are out of town,” said Krosko. “But the sheriff and the chief of police will be in it and there are a couple of car clubs who have expressed interest, so they will probably be there. And I know the VFW has a float, and the Legion, we’re just riding in the back of a pickup, but we are going to throw out candy to the kids.”

The parade will conclude at The Pavilion and then there will be a special presentation featuring keynote speaker, Tom Frank, a veteran and retired teacher.

Following the presentation, the Lake Region Color Guard will conduct a 21-gun salute in memory of fallen service members. 

Krosko also said Memorial Day is a solemn holiday and an important one.

“As I said in one of my Memorial Day speeches a few years back, is, ‘yeah, go have your barbeque, but take a minute to remember why,” he said.

According to Statistica, more than 1.2 million U.S. military members have died in combat since the Civil War.