After 2020 saw live events across the area go virtual due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, several villages in central Lake County are planning a return to in-person Memorial Day festivities.
Libertyville is expecting to host its Memorial Day Parade, with the route beginning at 9:30 a.m. downtown at the Metra train station. The ceremony in Cook Park is expected to begin around 9:45 a.m.
The Vernon American Legion Post 1247 in Vernon Hills will be saluting veterans Monday as well, breaking the event up across three places. The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the Vernon Township Cemetery. It will move at 10 a.m. to Willow Lawn Memorial Cemetery, before finishing up at the Vernon Hills Memorial Arbortheater at 11 a.m., accoring to Post Commander Todd Renihan .
“Ceremonies will be respectful, but brief and Social Distancing will be observed,” Post 1247 officials said in a news release about the Memorial Day activities.
Post 1247 is also planning on placing flags on veterans’ graves at the cemeteries. The flag-placing is set to take place Friday at 10 a.m. and Saturday at 9 a.m.. On Friday, members of Post 1247 will place them at Vernon Township Cemetery and on Saturday they will be at Willow Lawn Memorial Cemetery. The public is invited to help, Renihan said.
Though, not all villages are taking the in-person leap. The Mundelein American Legion Post 867 is planning a virtual celebration of Memorial Day, which is scheduled to be live-streamed on the village’s Facebook page.
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Starting at 10 a.m., Commander Wally Frasier will give an introduction, followed by Post Chaplin Robert Poletto with the opening prayer, according to event details on the village of Mundelein website.
Mundelein Mayor Steve Lentz is also scheduled to speak at the event. To follow this, there will be a tribute to American Legion members who have died since last Memorial Day. To close, Mundelein High School students will perform “Taps,” followed by a closing prayer from Poletto, information on the website states.