The Borough of Wyomissing will come together on Saturday, May 23, 2026, for the annual Memorial Day Parade & Remembrance Ceremony, a heartfelt community observance dedicated to honoring the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to the United States of America.
The parade will step off at 10:00 AM from the Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center on Woodland Road, travel through the Wyomissing Hills neighborhood, and conclude at Wyomissing Hills Memorial Park, where the Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony will take place at the War Memorial.
Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer. It is a sacred day of remembrance. It is a day to pause, to reflect, and to honor those who never came home. In Wyomissing, that remembrance is carried through the streets by veterans, families, community groups, scouts, students, first responders, neighbors, and residents who understand that freedom has always come at a cost.
“This is one of the most meaningful days on our Borough calendar,” said Randy McKinley, Director of Recreation and Communications for the Borough of Wyomissing. “The parade has that wonderful hometown feel — children waving flags, families lining the sidewalks, neighbors gathering together — but at the heart of it is something much deeper. Memorial Day asks us to remember the men and women who gave everything. That is why we march, why we gather, and why we continue to tell their stories.”
This year’s parade and ceremony will include one of the Borough’s most moving tributes, as LT. Erin Whitney Crider, USN, will be recognized posthumously as Grand Marshal of the 2026 Wyomissing Memorial Day Parade.
A 2002 graduate of Wyomissing High School, Erin’s life reflected service, leadership, intelligence, and a deep commitment to others. She served as a U.S. Navy Reserve Civil Engineering Corps Officer and passed away unexpectedly on January 18, 2026, while deployed at Camp Lemonnier, a U.S. Naval base in Djibouti, Africa.
Erin’s parents, Joyce and Bill Crider, will represent their daughter during the parade and ceremony. Joyce Crider, Erin’s mother, will also take part in one of the ceremony’s most solemn moments, as the Crider family is recognized during the laying of the Gold Star Family Wreath in memory of Erin and in honor of all families who have lost a loved one in service to the nation.
“Having the Crider family with us this year gives the day a very personal and powerful meaning,” McKinley said. “Erin was one of our own. She grew up here, walked these streets, graduated from Wyomissing, and went on to serve her country with extraordinary purpose. To honor her in her hometown, alongside her family, is something we will carry with great care and deep respect.”
The Remembrance Ceremony will be emceed by longtime Wyomissing resident Jerry Wojciechowski and will feature participation from the American Legion Ray A. Master Post 217 Honor Guard from Topton, whose presence will help mark the ceremony with the dignity and reverence fitting of the occasion.
“Emceeing the Remembrance Ceremony has been one of the great honors of my life in Wyomissing,” said Wojciechowski. “Each year, I look out and see families gathered together, veterans standing with pride, and neighbors pausing in true remembrance. It reminds me what kind of community this is — one that does not forget, one that understands the cost of freedom, and one that takes the time to honor those who gave everything for our country.”
Some of the ceremony’s most powerful moments will be carried through music. The Buccaneer Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps and Rod Nevin of the Hamilton Celtic Pipes & Drums will help mark the morning with stirring musical tributes that bring reflection, reverence, and heartfelt emotion to the Remembrance Ceremony.
The parade itself will showcase the strength and spirit of the Wyomissing community, with participation from local organizations, families, youth groups, civic leaders, veterans, first responders, and residents of all ages. Community members are encouraged to line the parade route, wave flags, cheer on participants, and then continue to the Memorial Park for the Remembrance Ceremony.
“This is the kind of day that reminds us who we are as a community,” McKinley said. “It is patriotic, it is neighborly, and it is deeply meaningful. We want children to see it, families to experience it, and residents to feel connected to something larger than themselves. Memorial Day is not just about looking back — it is about making sure the next generation understands the price that was paid for the freedoms we enjoy.”
The Borough invites residents and visitors to attend the parade, gather for the ceremony, and take part in this important act of remembrance.
As President Abraham Lincoln reminded the nation at Gettysburg, it is for us, the living, “to be dedicated here to the unfinished work” of those who gave their lives in service to something greater than themselves. This Memorial Day, Wyomissing will gather in that same spirit — to remember, to honor, and to ensure that the legacy of America’s fallen heroes is never forgotten.
Event Details
Wyomissing Memorial Day Parade & Remembrance Ceremony
Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Parade Step-Off: 10:00 AM
Start Location: Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center, Woodland Boulevard
Parade Route: Through the Wyomissing Hills neighborhood
Ceremony Location: Wyomissing Hills Memorial Park, War Memorial
Rain Date: Monday, May 25, 2026