This is Mary, a Grover sitting at the edge of Main Avenue, at Firemen’s Park, wondering where the parade was at 10:45 am and where were all the parade watchers. Hardly any parade fans were around.    5/29/23.  Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net

We suspected something was amiss when the annual Neptune Memorial Day parade was not listed on the Township calendar.  Even 4 days before the event on 5/25/23 there was no official  announcement.

Finally I contacted a NTPD officer who inquired and found a flier for us which we posted when we got it and posted it on May 24. It described the route as the same as before, so one would expect the parade to appear on Main Avenue between 10:30 and 11:00.

The official Neptune email from acurtis regarding the parade appeared on 5/28, the day before, but no mention that the parade would be late to reach the Grove.

I got there at 10:30 am on Memorial Day. (5/29,) and only a handful of people were present. This was unusual. Usually a nice size crowd would have assembled by then.

When I arrived a bicyclist from Asbury was busy picking up the floral wreaths which had fallen over from the wind.  No firemen were around to keep an eye on them.

At 10:48 I interviewed the Urgiuolos from Neptune who were waiting on a bench in Firemen’s Park. They were determined to stay because  grandpa was driving an OG fire truck  They were very patient and they eagerly waved flags at noon along Main Avenue.   The kids are Ali and Jake.

At 11 am—no parade, so only a few patient folks stayed.  3 OG fire trucks rode slowly by us.  The police did not close down the street then, and the trucks were unusually quiet–no sirens.

A few relatively quiet OG trucks rolled by at 11 am.  . One driver flashed us a V. Then it got quiet again.

Nothing further happened, so I and a Grover couple standing by me left for home.    Mary and her friend were going to wait and they did get to see what there was of the parade at noon.  And the Urgiuolo’s managed to stay and wave flags at noon.

At 11:54 am the  parade finally appeared  led by  (according to two eye witnesses) a color guard, Neptune ROTC, NHS marching band, some OG fire trucks and some official other vehicles.  The timing was ridiculous. The crowd–very small where we were by Firemen’s Park.

I heard the drums and went back over to get a couple of photos. But I missed the kids in the band and the ROTC unit.  They were already on their way east.

Later I found out that the route had been changed, but I never heard that news or the explanation.

I should have stayed in bed.

ADDENDUM. . On the morning of the parade, 5/29/23, a notice was sent out by Neptune Township about the parade, and this is what it said–below;  So whatever happened to screw up the parade for Grovers was a last minute decision.  Why?  Click on  comment below. They did wind up on Main Avenue, but at noon–at least an hour late.

CAROLE KING