The Sloatsburg Memorial Day Parade was once again well-attended Monday morning, May 26, as residents lined the village center to see the colorful action.

Although Sloatsburg is a small village, it puts on an out-sized Memorial Day parade. The parade is such a part of the fabric of the Sloatsburg community that many residents might not realize that Memorial Day is not celebrated with such enthusiastic pomp and circumstance in other communities — a true tribute to the character of Sloatsburg.

Town of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence walks beside Sloatsburg Mayor Carl Wright, and Village Trustees Dan O’Leary and Peter Akey (to the right).

With the veterans from Sloatsburg American Legion Post 1643 leading the way, followed by the Suffern High School Marching Band, the parade included Town of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, Mayor Carl Wright, Village Trustees Dan O’Leary and Peter Akey, as well as Sloatsburg Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, the Sloatsburg Ambulance Corp. and Sloatsburg Fire Department.

Local photographer Geoff Welch captured the action as the parade wound its way from Village Hall down Rt. 17 to the Sloatsburg Cemetery.

In case you missed the real thing, following is the fireworks finale, captured on video by local resident and Sloatsburg volunteer firefighter Brandon Bates.

The fireworks closed the St. Joan of Arc Church Carnival and were a partnership between St. Joan and the village. The display drew many hundreds of people to the Sloatsburg Community Fields and surrounding areas, with cars even pulling off of Rt. 17 onto Sloatsburg side streets to watch what was a spectacular display.