The 151st annual Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade is about to step off, with the annual tradition set for one week from Monday.

In addition to its purpose of honoring those who have served or have given their lives to our nation, the parade also serves as an opportunity to showcase what our city and county have to offer.

The event regularly draws thousands to downtown, more than doubling the city’s population, and this year will likely be no different.

We would like to urge everyone to show their community spirit and take the time to prepare for the visitors to our region.

While there have been many efforts to clean up the city and we commend these, it is our hope that an extra effort is made by residents to do so in the days leading up to the parade and its lead-in events.

This event is a source of pride to many in the city and it is always important to present our best face for it.