Patriotic Observance Committee turning focus to Veterans Day
The 2020 Memorial Day Parade in downtown Sarasota has been canceled because of the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, organizers announced Monday.
“The Sarasota Patriotic Observance Committee, in consultation with the City of Sarasota, canceled the annual celebration in the interest of public health and safety,” a city news release says.
“Although we won’t be able gather together this year, we hope the community will still join us in remembering the sacrifices of our beloved veterans and our fallen brothers and sisters this Memorial Day,” said Dan Kennedy, Patriotic Observance Committee chair, in the release. “We’ll now turn our efforts to preparing for the Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony, and we look forward to Sarasota joining us this fall for an even greater celebration,” he added in the release.
The Memorial Day Parade traditionally features a variety of units, including various veterans groups, representatives of law enforcement organizations and high school marching bands.