An official town Veterans Day Parade will be held for the first time in six years Saturday, November 11 starting at Besse Park and ending with a ceremony at Centre Park.

The parade committee is looking for volunteers, participants and sponsors for this year's “Honor Our Veterans” parade.

Over the last few years, ceremonies did take place at the Town Hall or at the Dudley L. Brown VFW Post in Onset. In addition, during the pandemic, a showing of videos from past parades along with a “static” parade took place at Town Hall.

However, at the 2022 ceremony at the VFW Hall, Select Board Member Alan Slavin said he would make an effort to bring the parade back to Wareham this year. 

This summer, a parade committee was formed to do just that. 

The committee is led by Matt Stanton from the Wareham High School JROTC program, Lieutenant Howard Smith of the Wareham Minutemen & Militia Companies, Inc., and Judith Whiteside, from the Wareham Select Board.

The plans are well underway, with the parade followed by a ceremony and a free meal for veterans. The theme of the parade is this year is “Honor Our Veterans.”

This year the parade is sponsored by both the Town and the Wareham Minutemen & Militia Companies, Inc. 

Howie Smith, a historian and officer of the organization, said, “The Minutemen and Militia Companies represent the first Wareham Veterans, and we are proud to be both a sponsor and participants in this year’s parade. We hope everyone will participate in some way, either by coming to the parade or by helping out.”

The committee is asking for volunteers to assist in the many tasks needed to make the parade a success. 

Also needed are parade participants, including marching units and floats. 

Businesses and community members are also welcome to become a parade sponsor. 

For more information on ways to participate or on sponsorships, email WarehamVeteransParade@wareham.ma.us.