How to pay tribute on Memorial Day 2016 (and where to do it)

All over the Lehigh Valley, communities will be hosting ceremonies, concerts and parades.

Memorial Day is Monday but celebrations and commemorations in the Lehigh Valley region begin Saturday with the kickoff of a three-day event at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

The sixth-annual Memorial Day Celebration transforms the South Bethlehem entertainment campus into a memorial honoring local heroes, with more than 800 images of veterans and active military personnel displayed as part of the "Our Hometown Heroes" display.

The weekend's activities will also include a new program featuring veterans who worked at Bethlehem Steel in the 1940s and then went off to fight in World War II, as well as a special service on Monday honoring the hundreds of servicemen and women featured on the Our Hometown Heroes banners over the past five years.

For details and a schedule of entertainment for the three-day event, visit the SteelStacks website. 

Also on Saturday

• PALMER TOWNSHIP | Brown and Lynch Post 9 American Legion will hold a Memorial Day Service at Northampton Memorial Shrine, 3051 Green Pond Road, beginning at 8:45 a.m. Retired Army Lt. Col. John Thomas will speak, along with remarks by Ann Marie Panella. Other scheduled events include the reading of the Gettysburg Address, a rifle volley, wreath placement, a vocalist, the playing of taps and a Palmer Township police honor guard.

Sunday

• BLAIRSTOWN | The Givens-Belet Post 258 American Legion sponsors the Blairstown Memorial Day Parade. This year the legion will be dedicating the parade in honor of the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor 1941-2016. A veterans memorial service will start at noon in Cedar Ridge Cemetery on Route 94 with the parade following immediately thereafter (about 1 p.m.), finishing at Footbridge Park, where trophies will be awarded and complimentary refreshments served.

• BUSHKILL TOWNSHIP | The 4th annual Veterans Remembrance and Flag Retirement ceremony takes place at 1:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Flagpole at the recreation fields directly across from the township municipal building at 1114 Bushkill Center Road. (The rain location is inside Bushkill Township Volunteer Fire Co. social hall, behind the municipal building.) Featured speakers are Kit and John Cotton of Bethlehem Township, who met in Vietnam in 1969 when Kit served as a Red Cross "Donut Dolly" and John was an Air Force fighter pilot. Their presentation is called "A Touch of Home in a Combat Zone." The Nazareth Community Band will open the ceremony. Emcee is state Rep. Marcia Hahn. The program concludes with the rifle squad detail of the U.S. Army Reserve 744^th Military Police Battalion and taps played by Randy Baxendale.

• EASTON | The Rice-Ebner American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 588 and the South Side Memorial Day Service begins at 1 p.m. in McKeen Park, adjacent to the fire station at Berwick and Reynolds streets. The guest speaker is Lou Ferrone, often referred to as "Mr. Easton" because of his vast knowledge of the city and its history. Remarks will also be offered by Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr.; David Daiello, commander of Post 588; and Melody Rogers, president of the Civic Association. In the event of rain, the program will be canceled. 

• HELLERTOWN | The Edward H. Ackerman American Legion Post 397 will host a Memorial Day service at Union Cemetery of Hellertown, 89 Main St. Participants will begin to assemble at 1:30 p.m.; the service begins at 2 p.m., with the Legion Riders assembling at the cemetery band shell at 1:45 p.m.

• LOPATCONG TOWNSHIP | A Memorial Day and Veterans Rally Point dedication ceremony will be held 1 p.m. at Lopatcong Municipal Park, rain or shine. Bring chairs, blankets etc. and witness the dedication of the Veterans Rally Point, which is a tribute to all servicemen and women missing or killed in action, as well as to Terry Lee, longtime Warren County clerk who died in 2015. Lee, a Harmony Township resident, was active in military affairs, planning and frequently appearing at local memorials and services. The ceremony begins with a presentation of the colors and service branch flags. There will be a "two-bell" ceremony honoring all veterans who are presently serving, a firing detail from Post 9 American Legion, a landing of a Blackhawk helicopter (at 2 p.m.), a demonstration from Canine Companions and music by Inch and the Echoes from 3 to 6 p.m.

  Something to rally around

• RIEGELSVILLE, Pa. | A Memorial Day Parade will form from the Riegelsville Fire House at 12:30 p.m. and move via Edgewood, Fern, Durham, Delaware and Easton roads, then west on Elmwood Lane to the cemetery. At the Delaware River Bridge, there will band selections by Palisades High School along with prayer and the launching of a memorial wreath. The parade then moves to the World War I monument for the placing of another wreath, volley firing and taps. More ceremonies are held at the Riegelsville cemetery with music, wreath-laying, a volley firing, echo firing and taps. Daniel Fraley of the Bucks County Department of Veterans Affairs will give the Memorial Day address. Scholarships will be presented. The event concludes with refreshments at Rieglesville Post 950 of the Ameican Legion, 238 Ash Lane. If rain, services will be held at 1 p.m. at the Riegelsville Fire House, 333 Delaware Road.

• WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP | A Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. to honor fallen heroes, living veterans and service persons on active duty at the Williams Township Municipal Building, 655 Cider Press Road. David Heintzelman, of Hellertown, will deliver the address. Arthur Verba, a senior township veteran, will lay a wreath at the base of the memorial to the township's fallen heroes, whose names will be read by Dale Murray. A Community Recognition Award will be given to Adam Koerber and his children, Jesse and Melissa, in appreciation for the contributions they make in assisting the school children with their salutes to veterans and in site preparations for the program each year. Also participating are the Wilson Area High School Band, Boy Scout Troop 31, Girl Scout Junior Troop 889, Brownie Troop 8022 of Williams Township, Pastor Blake Heffner of St. John's Church of Morgan Hill, and members of Marine Corps League/Northampton County Detachment.

Monday

• ALLENTOWN | The 2016 Allentown Lions Memorial Day Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. A memorial service will follow the parade on the Allentown Grammar School grounds. The parade route is three quarters of a mile long, beginning on North Main Street (Rt. 524) at the Allen Drive exit from the staging area, heading south on Main Street through town and turning left on High Street (Rt. 539) to the Elementary School. Immediately after the last group finishes, a Memorial Day Service will be held near the front of the elementary school.  Prior to the start of the parade there will be a bicycle decorating contest sponsored by the Allentown Business Community Association at 16 Allen Drive. All participants are welcome to ride their bicycles in the parade. If rain threatens, the Memorial Service may be postponed.

• BANGOR | The Bangor VFW, American Legion and Elks will be hosting a Memorial Day ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. at St. John's Cemetery (on Sixth Street) and Founders Park (South Main Street). Speakers are state Rep. Joe Emrick and Dwayne Miller, former Bangor mayor. Slate Belt area graduates who will be entering the military also will be honored. If rain, the ceremony will be held at the Bangor VFW.

• BETHLEHEM | Taps over Bethlehem will take place beginning at 8 a.m. with the first sounds heard in Nisky Hill Cemetery, 254 E. Church St. The final bugler will be at Memorial Cemetery, 1851 Linden St. At 9 a.m. the horns will play in unison. The event is sponsored by the American Legion Band of Bethlehem. At 9 a.m. a parade will step off from Liberty High School on Linden Street and make its way to Memorial Cemetery for ceremonies there at approximately 9:45 a.m. This event is sponsored by the United Veterans of Bethlehem, the Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council and the City of Bethlehem.

• EASTON | At 9 a.m. Monday, a firing detail from American Legion Post No. 9 will render honors at the Grand Army of the Republic plot in Easton Cemetery, followed by the sounding of taps. At 10:45 a.m. the Easton Memorial Day parade will step off starting at Sixth and Northampton streets and proceed to the free bridge, where joint services with be conducted with the Phillipsburg parade group. The program then continues at Scott Park, Mark Baylis from VALOR Clinic Allentown will deliver the Memorial Address. Any re-enactment group, Girl & Boy scouts, or any organization that wants to participate can report to Walnut St, at 10am May 30th, someone will be ready to help any group to be placed in the line of march.

• GLEN GARDNER | The Spruce Run Memorial VFW Post 5119 at 179 Main St. will hold its annual service at 10 a.m. During this event, the VFW will award three scholarships to students. Three Patriotic Art Contest finalists also will be recognized. Light refreshments will follow.

• HACKETTSTOWN | The Hackettstown American Legion will host the Hackettstown Memorial Day Parade at 10 a.m.; it will conclude with the Memorial Day Service at Union Cemetery.

• NAZARETH | The Nazareth Memorial Day Parade begins at 10 a.m. from the circle in Nazareth and proceeds down Main Street, before stopping at the American Legion at 158 S. Main St. for a wreath-laying and 21-gun salute. It then goes down Prospect Street to Broad Street to Center Street, around the circle and back down Main Street to Belvidere to Mauch Chunk to the VFW at 144 Mauch Chunk for a wreath laying. The parade ends at Nazareth Borough Hall, 134 S. Main St., with a ceremony featuring guest speaker Staff Sgt. Matt Mungatin. Nazareth Area High School student Julia McFarland will recite the Gettysburg Address; the Nazareth High School Blue Eagle Marching Band will play patriotic music. Refreshments follow at the VFW.

• PHILLIPSBURG | The parade will kick off from Abbott Street onto South Main Street at 9 a.m. As soon as the parade reaches Shappell Park the ceremony will begin. Roger DiVittorio is the chairman of the parade committee and master of ceremonies. The main address will be delivered by Thomas J. Fey, Warren County Legion commander, along with several readings and a selection by the Phillipsburg High School Band. After the ceremony at Shappell Park, the parade will continue down South Main Street to the free bridge, where the Bernardine May American Legion Post 457 firing squad will join members of the Brown and Lynch American Legion Post and Marine Corps for the short ceremony in the center of the bridge. Mayors from Easton and Phillipsburg will toss a wreath into the Delaware River and Phillipsburg High School and Easton Area High School bands will play the national anthem.

• ROSETO | The Martocci-Capobianco American Legion Post 750, led by the Bangor Area High School Band, will leave the post home on Garibaldi Avenue at 8:30 a.m. and proceed to the New Catholic Cemetery where services will be held at 9 a.m. The contingent will then move to the Roseto Presbyterian Cemetery on Liberty Street for services at 9:30 a.m. The final graveside services will be held at the Catholic cemetery adjacent to Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church at 10 a.m. From the cemetery the Legionnaires will proceed to the Municipal Plaza on Garibaldi Avenue for the Community Services at the War Monuments beginning at 10:45 a.m. These services will also include the clergy from the area churches. Northampton County Senior Judge Leonard N. Zito will be the main speaker. Students from DeFranco Elementary and Faith Christian schools will read their winning essays. An oratorical presentation will be given by Drew Wortman, a student at Bangor Area Middle School. Wreaths will be placed on the war monuments. If rain, the community services will be held indoors at the post home at 143 Garibaldi Ave.

• TATAMY | Tatamy will hold Memorial Day services at 1 p.m. in the municipal building. Officials will pay tribute to all who have served. Refreshments follow.

• UPPER MT. BETHEL TWP. | The American Legion Memorial Day service will be held 11 a.m. Monday at the Mount Bethel War Memorial next to the cemetery, on Route 611. Parade formation will be at the Mt. Bethel firehouse at 10:30 a.m.

• WEST BANGOR | The West Bangor Memorial Association will hold its annual Memorial Day program 11 a.m. at the memorial site at Second Street. The speaker will be David A. Mettin, chief of the Slate Belt Regional Police Department. The Roper Quartet will offer musical selections. Tanner Barr and Gianna Greggo, both students at Pen Argyl Area High School, will give recitations of the Gettysburg Address and "In Flanders Fields." Walter Cole and Kyle Schmidt will play taps. In case of rain, services will be held at St. Joseph's Episcopal Church social hall, Verona Drive, West Bangor.

Did we miss an event? You can add it in the comment section below or email KJ at kjfrantz@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow lehighvalleylive.com on Twitter at @lehighvalley. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.