Summer is upon us! Well, almost. Memorial Day is the perfect opportunity to enjoy quality time outside at a local parade, enjoying the beautiful outdoors while also taking the time to honor the brave service people who have given their lives in the service of our country.
Grab your sunscreen and folding chairs and head out to one of the Memorial Day parades on our list. This is by no means a comprehensive list, so if you have a favorite we missed, be sure to let us know!
CAMBRIDGE – Memorial Day Parade and Celebration
- Village Veterans Park, 100 E Main St, Cambridge
- May 25th, 2026
The community is invited to come together for a day of remembrance, celebration, and family fun — including a special Marine Corps Osprey flyover during this year’s parade.
Memorial Day Schedule:
6:30am–Noon: Cambridge Volunteer Fire Dept. Pancake Breakfast
10:30am: Parade on Main Street featuring an opening Marine Corps Osprey Flyover
Memorial Service at Veteran’s Park immediately following the parade
Memorial Day Celebration & Picnic (Veterans Eat Free)
Duck Race benefiting the Lions Club
Ice Cream Truck
Live music from End Fight Scene
The Marine Corps pilot will also be at the Rockdale Airfield in the afternoon for a public static display and aircraft tours.
It’s shaping up to be an unforgettable community event, and everyone is invited to attend.
CROSS PLAINS – Memorial Day Celebration
- American Legion Park, 2217 American Legion Dr, Cross Plains
- May 25th, 2026
The Cross Plains Memorial Day Celebration is back and promises to be one of the biggest Memorial Day events in the area. The community is invited to enjoy a full day of activities, food, entertainment, and remembrance featuring a parade, chicken dinner, bake sale, memorial program, games, face painting, and more.
Event Schedule:
10:30am – Bar opens
11:00am – Parade travels down Park Street from Plastic Ingenuity to American Legion Post #245
11:30am – Chicken dinner ticket sales begin
11:45am – American Legion Post #245 Memorial Program
12:00pm – Antsy Pants Face Painting begins
12:15pm – Chicken dinners are served and the Cross Plains Stingrays bake sale begins
1:00pm – DJ Jake the Snake kicks off music, games, and activities
Pre-sale chicken dinner tickets are available through Sunday, May 25 at 11pm. Guests who purchase early can skip the regular line and use a special pre-sale pickup line. Pre-sale tickets are limited to 500, so organizers encourage purchasing early before they sell out.
MCFARLAND – Memorial Day Parade
- American Legion Post, 5911 Burma Rd, McFarland
- May 25th, 2026
MONONA – Memorial Day Parade
- Monona Drive: Monona Grove High School, turning onto Pflaum Rd, to Sennett Middle School, Monona
- May 25th, 2026
The parade begins at 10 a.m. and runs until noon, honoring veterans and bringing the community together with local groups, businesses, and organizations.
Stoughton – Memorial Day Parade & Program
-
Mandt Center 400 Mandt Pkwy, Stoughton
- May 25th, 2026
Memorial Day in Stoughton is more than a tradition; it is a time when the community comes together to remember, reflect, and honor those who gave everything for freedom. As the parade moves through the streets and residents gather at the Mandt Center, the day serves as a collective moment of remembrance, carrying forward the stories, sacrifices, and legacy of the nation’s heroes.
It is a reminder that freedom is not free, but earned through courage, selflessness, and a deep love of country that continues to live on in the community. Whether along the parade route, attending the program, or sharing a meal afterward, participants take part in something meaningful—helping keep those memories alive.
WORLD’S LARGEST BRAT FEST…
And while it’s not exactly a parade, no mention of Memorial Day weekend would be complete without the World’s Largest Brat Fest! The annual brat extravaganza is held on Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center.
- Friday, May 22nd – Sunday, May 24th
- Live music, events for all ages, carnival, Kids Zone, food stands galore, fireworks and BRATS!
How do you plan to spend your Memorial Day weekend?
