Memorial Day Parade a Family Tradition in Boalsburg

Batons fly through the air, fire trucks steadily roll down the road, candy is tossed to children, and people line the streets.

It happens year after year, as the Memorial Day parade is an integral part of a weekend steeped in tradition for Boalsburg.

From local politicians campaigning for the coming election, to a group of costumed kids holding swords as they walk with horses, the annual parade had something for everyone as it made its way through the main stretch of Boalsburg.

Hundreds of people set up chairs along Pine Street and Boal Avenue for one of the most popular community events of the year. The parade brings together all of Centre County, with fire companies and community groups from neighboring towns coming out in full force.

“There were a lot of towns and communities in the area that represented themselves in the parade and that was nice,” says Ryan Knowles, a State College resident who brought his wife and two children to the parade.

It was Knowles’ fifth time coming to the parade, something that has become an annual tradition for his family.

“I come back every year for the sense of community,” he says. “It’s a good family atmosphere at all the events they have this weekend. It’s certainly a special tradition to celebrate our country and I think it’s a good thing. I’m glad we can bring it all together in one place like this.”

With five years under his belt, Knowles certainly has a good feel for Memorial Day weekend in Boalsburg, but he’s a newbie when you look at the big picture. Just down Pine Street, a Boalsburg Memorial Day old-timer soaked in what he says is at least his 30th parade from a familiar spot.

“It’s a family tradition. We do this every Memorial Day,” Boalsburg native Jeff Selvage says. “We actually set up in this exact spot. We enjoy the parade and the carnival and the festivities on Monday. It’s a great time.”

Selvage has lived in the town for over three decades, and makes a point to attend the parade each year with his family. 

“The children have grown up with it and now it’s the grandchildren with me at the parade,” he says. “It’s great seeing the fellowship with the community. You can’t say enough for the firemen and other volunteers and all they do to support the effort for Memorial Day. It’s just a wonderful thing.”

The parade and Memorial Day started as something Selvage looked forward to each year as his children grew up in the town. Thirty years later, he looks forward to it because Memorial Day brings his children, and their children, back to town to visit him. And while Selvage loves this weekend for that reason, he also appreciates how much it means to Boalsburg as a whole.

“We claim to be the founders of Memorial Day and the whole community takes a lot of pride in that,” he says. “All the people who live here take a lot of civic pride in the fact that we believe we founded the holiday.”

After an hour of music and celebration concluded, the only remnants of the parade were a plethora of smushed Tootsie rolls and bubble gum on the Boalsburg streets. 

You can check out a full schedule of this weekend’s Memorial Day events here.

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