Marion sets date, time for Memorial Day procession

May 17, 2023

MARION — The 2023 Memorial Day Remembrances and Procession will take place on Monday, May 29 starting at 9 a.m. in front of the Music Hall, 164 Front St, Marion.

The 2023 procession and remembrances will follow the same route as in past years, stepping off from the Music Hall northbound on Front Street, marching 0.6 miles up Front Street to the Veterans’ Memorial at Old Landing. Upon arrival at the Veterans’ Memorial the town will pay tribute to our military’s “honored dead” who “gave the last full measure of devotion”.

The procession and remembrances will feature the Sippican School Marching Band led by director Hannah Moore as well as The Portuguese American Band. The ceremony will conclude with members of the Select Board laying a wreath at the Veterans’ Memorial. The master of ceremonies for the event will be Major Andrew Bonney of the United States Air Force.

The event’s featured speaker will be Major Christopher Bonzagni of the United States Air Force.

Bonzagni grew up in southern Massachusetts and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 2005 as an infantryman, deploying twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 and 2008. His deployments included more than 50 combat patrols and multiple high-value target captures.

In 2011, Bonzagni transferred to the Air National Guard as a geospatial intelligence analyst before commissioning in 2014. In his civilian capacity he is the founder and CEO of CB Consulting where he is a national security and technology consultant.

Bonzagni holds a B.A. in Political Science from Bridgewater State University, from which he graduated summa cum laude and is currently pursuing an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Bonzagni resides in New Hampshire with his wife and children.

Residents are encouraged to attend the remembrances as well as stand along the parade route on Front Street between Cottage Street and Ryder Lane.

In the event of rain, the event will be relocated to the Multipurpose Room of Sippican Elementary School.