Memorial Day Activities in Hastings, Dobbs Ferry and Irvington

Monday, May 28 is Memorial Day, and each of the Rivertowns will celebrate its own residents who gave their lives fighting for the country.

Below is some information on how each village will observe the holiday.

Hastings:

On Saturday, at 11:30 a.m., Hastings will unveil a sculpture marker at Maceachron Park in honor of the Hudson River School of painters, America’s first native style of painting, one of several created for sites up the Hudson valley.

According to the Mayor:

Hastings played a central role in the development of that school: Jasper Cropsey, one of the central figures in the artistic movement, had his home and studio in Hastings, where a number of his works were painted.  The Hudson River School was noted for its romantic, pastoral visions, often set in the Catskills or along the Hudson River. They frequently juxtaposed Roman or Greek ruins set against the rugged Catskill streams or Hudson River cliffs – a romantic idyll that spoke to the fascination of the time with the ancient era as well as a romantic ideal popular too at the time. The sculpture to be unveiled depicts such a ruin, and is meant to be viewed against the dramatic cliffs across the river, evoking the painterly scenes once composed on our very own shores. The unveiling will be relatively short, heavy with local politicians and village residents, and will mark a moment where we connect with our past.    

The next day, Sunday, May 27, Hastings will have its annual Memorial Day parade at 2 p.m. This year Hastings will be hosting a contingent of  61 Marines and sailors from one of the ships stopping for Fleet Week, as well as 20 cadets. They will be led in the parade by Rear Admiral Townsend Alexander, who is in charge of naval activity on the entire Eastern seaboard.  This is a first in decades (if ever) that such a contingent has shown up here in town.  "It’s now up to us to provide a warm welcome," Mayor Peter Swiderski said.

The parade will start by Reynolds Field and wend down through Five Corners, down Main Street and then right on Warburton and through town.  There wil be extra fire engines joining, a float from a NYC parade, and the usual array of bands, firemen, clubs and others marching.  

Finally, Swiderski said: "I can’t help but remind people that America’s first admiral was a Hastings resident – Admiral David Farragut. Farrugut, who began his naval career at the age of 12 during the war of 1812 (yes, you read that correctly),  was actually wounded and captured in combat during the battle of Valparaiso near Chile.  He moved to Hastings-on-Hudson later in his career, shortly before the Civil War, in part to prove his Union loyalty.  He lived first on Main Street and then on Washington Avenue in one of the cottages located on the Draper Estate (where he frequently visited the observatory which is now the home of the Historical Society).  Admiral Farragut served a distinguished career in the Union Navy during the Civil War – and is best remembered for his quote “Damn the torpedoes… full speed ahead” during his triumph at the Battle of Mobile Bay. He donated $600 of prize money awarded him at the end of the war to building Grace Episcopal Church, originally located where the Boulanger Parking lot now is. (It was moved in 1931 to its current location at Five Corners.)  

Dobbs Ferry:

Dobbs Ferry will hold its annual parade on Monday. It will gather at 9:30 a.m. at Mohican Park Avenue and Ashford, and take off at 10:00 am. They will make a brief stop at the White Church Cemetery to place a wreath. 

Then they will then proceed down Ashford Avenue, make a right onto Storm Street, a left on Maple, a right on Broadway and have a brief ceremony at the High School.

They will leave the high school, making a right onto Broadway and proceed down Cedar Street, where they will stop briefly by the church just before

The parade will end at Memorial Park, where another brief ceremony will take place.

After the ceremony is over they will proceed down the hill to the American Legion building where hot dogs and soda will be served.

All are welcome.

Irvington:

Irvington will hold its annual event on Monday, May 28.  It will include: Memorial Day services and Parade. Services will begin at 10:45 a.m. in front of the War Memorials on Main Street followed by the parade to Memorial Park and Memorial Services. All veterans are invited to participate and march in the parade whether in uniform or civilian clothes.

All are welcome to come.