JENISON — Hundreds of Jenison residents gathered along Baldwin Street on Monday morning for the annual Jenison Memorial Day Parade. 

Families, veterans and supporters came together to watch as members of the military, law enforcement, and volunteers walked down the street to commemorate those who lost their lives protecting the country.

Kicking off at 9 a.m., the warm sunny morning led to perfect weather conditions for the parade. As people began to set up their spots with drinks, snacks and folding chairs, children lined up along both sides of the street eagerly waiting for the sirens of fire trucks and police cars, from which candy and other goodies would soon begin flying.

Support Our Work

Ottawa News Network is a nonprofit news service dedicated to providing the residents of Ottawa County with trustworthy, community-driven news. ONN treats journalism as a public good — something that enriches lives and empowers Ottawa County’s 300,000-plus residents to stay engaged, make informed decisions, and strengthen local democracy. Please consider giving today.

Around 20 minutes into the parade, five airplanes flew over for a planned flyover. The planes would make several more trips over the course of the event. The sounds of sirens, music and laughter filled the air for the next hour and a half.

Multiple local and larger companies participated in the event with their own vehicles driving in the parade. Along with them, veteran groups, schools' sports clubs and other organizations filled out the remainder of the parade route.

After the parade, a memorial service took place at the Georgetown Township cemetery to take a moment and have a stronger focus on the purpose of the holiday. 

— Contact Diego Storck at dstorck@ottawanewsnetwork.org.