BOWIE, Md. – The Memorial Day weekend of festivities in Bowie was kicked off Saturday morning with a parade to honor servicemembers.
“It gives us an opportunity to thank those folks who took the vision of the country, and protected it, and nurtured it, and kept it going,” said Bowie mayor G. Frederick Robinson. As he made his way through the parade procession, Mayor Robinson sat on the back of a convertible tossing candy to the crowd that lined both sides of the route.
The parade started out on Belair Drive at Bowie High School and marched passed the Bowie Community Center before ending at the Market Place Shopping Center.
Marine Anthony Begenwald served as the Grand Marshal.
Miss Maryland Teen America Lauren Jones, 18, posed for pictures, and was visibly excited to be invited to the parade. “I’m just so honored to be able to travel to different cities and different counties to represent our state, I love it,” says Jones, who is also a student at Morgan State University.
The Lone Ranger, The United States Army Fife and Drums, and the Eleanor Roosevelt Pep Band were among the entertainment portion of the parade.
Memorial Day weekend parades also took place Saturday around Maryland in Rockville, Sharpsburg, and Chesapeake Beach.
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