ALTON - The City of Alton will once again commemorate Memorial Day with its 158th Memorial Day parade.
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At 10 a.m. on Monday, May 26, 2025, community members can come out to Upper Alton to enjoy the parade, organized by the East End Improvement Association. Steve Schwartz, who helps oversee the parade, emphasized the importance of the tradition and the meaning behind the celebration.
“It’s just a tradition. It’s fun,” Schwartz said. “Memorial Day is for the fallen. That’s the importance. Let’s not forget what this day and what this parade stand for.”
Parade participants will set up at Alton Middle School. The route will travel up College Avenue to Washington, down to Edwards, over to Main, back up to College, and then down Washington to the Upper Alton Cemetery.
This year's parade marshal is Bill Varble, a local Vietnam War veteran. Schwartz expressed his appreciation for Varble and his eagerness to honor him.
Schwartz also thanked the many participants who are involved in the parade every year. He gave a special shoutout to the Alton Optimists Club, which helps with the parade’s staging.
“There’s some individuals that have been in this parade for as long as I can remember, and you just know they’re going to be there,” Schwartz said. “It is great to have the usual people in it from year to year.”
The event was started in 1868 to honor the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. The parade has always traveled through Upper Alton and Pie Town to recognize the soldiers and the women who baked pies in their honor before they reported to duty.
Schwartz is proud of the tradition, noting that this is one of the oldest Memorial Day parades in the country. Unlike many other cities, Alton did not cancel the parade during the COVID-19 pandemic, though it was limited to just a few participants and a much smaller crowd; this means Alton’s parade might be the oldest consecutive parade in the U.S.
The East End Improvement Association is proud to carry on that tradition for the past 15 years after taking on the parade from the Upper Alton Business Association.
Schwartz added that the parade is “going to go down the road no matter what,” though he hopes the rain will hold off on Monday. He encourages people to come out, enjoy the parade and remember the reason behind the fun.
“It’s a great time,” he said.
