The Blairsville Veterans Commanders Group will honor those who lost their lives while serving in the United States military by hosting the annual Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony on Saturday, May 23, in Downtown Blairsville.
The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. on School Street before traveling down Veterans Memorial Drive to turn right onto Cleveland Street. Participants will loop around the Town Square, continue down Blue Ridge Street, then turn left near the Union County Public Library before returning to the Union County War Memorial Veterans Park, located at 226 School Street, for a ceremony at noon.
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This year’s parade theme is “Vietnam: Our 20-year war and the last U.S. military draft; Many Vietnam-era veterans are still helping all veterans.”
Jim Yohe, an Air Force Vietnam veteran and president of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1101, helped organize the event and said all local Vietnam-era veterans are encouraged to participate in the parade as grand marshals. They will ride ahead of the parade in either a Union County school bus or the county’s 30-passenger “People Mover” trailer.
After the parade, a ceremony will be held at noon at the Union County War Memorial Veterans Park.
Along with local veteran service organizations, participants will include the North Georgia Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, Boy Scout Troop 101, Cub Scout Troop 101 and the North Georgia Honor Guard.
The Union County High School band and Appalachian St. Andrews Pipes and Drums will provide music.
Yohe said that although 2026 is an election year, organizers hope participants can “put aside all political issues and honor our fallen heroes with a large turnout, showing a sincere display of patriotism.”
The guest speaker for this year’s ceremony will be retired U.S. Army Col. Don Brown, who also serves as secretary of the Georgia Vietnam Veterans of America. While Brown described himself as “not a hero, just a typical young serviceman,” he said he is proud to speak at the ceremony.
“We must continue to honor Memorial Day and remember, because if we tend to forget what has gone on in our nation, what our service people have gone through, then the future could be terrible,” Brown said. “You’ve got to learn from history, and part of celebrating Memorial Day is learning from history.”
Vietnam-era veterans who would like to participate in the parade as grand marshals should RSVP to blairsvilleva@gmail.com with their full name and whether they served in-country by May 21.
“We aren’t requiring membership in the local Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1101, but (we) do want as many RSVPs as possible … so we know how many vehicles we really need,” said Ingrid Engle, adjutant of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7394 and one of the event coordinators.
To participate in the parade in any other capacity, email ga.iraweaver121@gmail.com by May 21.
