Memorial Day parade for Lexington has been canceled for this year

LEXINGTON — There will be no Memorial Day parade in the village this year because of an apparent miscommunication.

Officials vow this is a one-time deal and that the parade will return in 2025.

Lexington Mayor Bob Jarvis said his understanding was the VFW Post 5101 handled arrangements previously. He said VFW officials said they were not doing one this year.

"We contacted them after not hearing anything," Jarvis said. "It kind of caught us off-guard."

He added there wasn't enough time to make other arrangements.

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Brenda Wilson, clerk of village council, said the high school band had been scheduled to perform, along with appearances by Blueberry Festival pageant winners.

Terry Manley is the post commander for Post 5101. He said he had never handled the parade before, that a quartermaster who is no longer with the post took care of it.

"I didn't know we were supposed to get a permit," Manley said.

While village officials were waiting to hear from the post, Manley said he wished someone from the village had reached out earlier.

"We like to work with them," he said.

Manley said the post has fallen on hard times with dwindling membership. There are not as many people to handle details like the parade.

"Years ago, we had committees for everything," Manley said.

He apologized to everyone.

"It's a lack of communication between both of us," Manley said. "It won't happen again."

Jarvis concurred.

"Rest assured, we will get that up and going again next year," the mayor said.

mcaudill@gannett.com

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