The theme has been selected and preparations are well underway for the 151st Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade, which will be on May 27.

This year’s theme is “Tribute to Patriotism.”

“It’s a short theme, but it is a powerful theme,” said Lou Pyles, the Memorial Day parade organizer. “I hope the people like it.”

She added the theme was suggested by 2019 grand marshal and area businessman Rich Donohue.

“He thought it was a good way to honor all the people and the veterans that help do memorial parades all across the country.

That it would represent all those who respect our country and our flag and those who sacrificed so much for all of us,” she said. “We thought it was a good theme and a good theme for all the people who work on the floats for the parade. We always try to do a patriotic theme, because that is the whole purpose of this parade.”

Ironton has the honor of being the host city of the nation’s longest continually held Memorial Day Parade. It has been held every year since Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared an official day to recognize those who died on the battlefield.

In addition to Donohue being the grand marshal this year, the parade commander will be Jim Rowe, a member of the Lawrence County Amateur Radio Association Emergency Service (ARES) who has helped with the parade for three decades and the honorary grand marshal is Gary Roberts, a Vietnam veteran and an employee of the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization.

Pyles said the Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade committee is trying to bring in a surprise for the thousands of people who gather for the parade and they are working on having military jets fly over again.

“We want to do something special for our 151st parade,” Pyles said. “We don’t know about the fly over until the last minute, but everything so far has been approved. We are going through all the steps, so hopefully that will work out for us.”

Parade entry forms are available the Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade Facebook page.