The rain held off, the sun came out and the temperature cooperated. It was just about the perfect day for the annual Memorial Day Parade and Festival in downtown City of Falls Church Monday.
The day’s events kicked off at 9 a.m. for the traditional Beyer Automotive 3K Fun Run (purple shirts this year!) and continued into the afternoon with carnival and pony rides, bounce houses, vendors and more. At 2 p.m., the parade began with Grand Marshal Barbara Cram leading the procession of more than 60 participating entries. According to the City, more than 10,000 visitors attended the festival.
Taking home hardware for the 2017 parade were the following winners:
Best Marching Band (High School): George C. Marshall “Marching Statesmen”
Best Marching Band (Professional): Batala Washington
Best Marching, Walking Group/Unit: South Lakes School Army ROTC
Best Youth Group: Cub Scout Pack 657
Best Float: Kena Shrine Temple
Best Classic or Antique Car or Truck: Bikenetic – Full-Service Bicycle Shop
Best Emergency/Fire Vehicle: Falls Church Volunteer Fire Department
Best Military Group: Greater Falls Church Veterans Council
The parade was recorded by Falls Church Community Television and will make it available via YouTube soon. It will also be broadcast on FCCTV available on Cox channel 11, RCN channel 2, and Verizon channel 35. The schedule has yet to be announced.
(Photos: J. Michael Whalen)
