We’re coming up on Memorial Day weekend in the Hopewell Valley, featuring the Hopewell Borough and Pennington Borough parades on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
The Hopewell American Legion post has again placed flags in the local cemeteries to mark the graves of military veterans. This practice goes back to the beginnings of Memorial Day, begun after the Civil War in 1868 as Decoration Day, a day of remembrance, including visiting and “decorating” the graves of soldiers.
Local veterans groups also will hold memorial observances throughout Memorial Day weekend (see below). The public is welcome to attend these events:
- The Hopewell Valley Veterans Association will conduct a Memorial Day Ceremony on Saturday at 11 am to commentate the sacrifices of our men and women in the military. It will be held at the Veterans Memorial at Woolsey Park, 221 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, NJ 08560.
- Hopewell Valley American Legion Post 339 will conduct cemetery and monument services at multiple locations – in Hopewell Township on Saturday morning, and in Hopewell Borough and Pennington Borough before the parades on Sunday and Monday mornings, respectively.
See the schedule summary below.
== View the full 2026 Schedule of Hopewell Memorial Day Weekend Veterans Events and Services (PDF) ==
Memorial Day Parade Videos
The History Project has a growing collection of photos and videos of local Memorial Day events (see the links below):
– The 1947 Hopewell Borough Memorial Day parade clip shows the event after World War II, with a spirit of both enthusiasm and reverence, including West Broad at Mercer, the Honor Salute at Grammar School, and then back to Broad Street. Thanks to Richard Anderson, and converted from silent 8mm film clips (see earlier post).
– The 1992 Pennington Borough Memorial Day parade clip starts with parents and children assembling at the school building, and includes the parade leaders, horses, school band, cars, bikers, Pennington Players, scouts, kids on bikes, band, fire company and trucks, and the children’s group who joined in at the end on bikes and wagons. Provided courtesy of Holly Weise (see earlier post).
Memorial Day Weekend Parades
Sunday, May 24, 2026, 1 pm – Hopewell Borough Memorial Day Parade
- Start at Taylor Terrace
- March east on Broad Street to Princeton Avenue
- Closing ceremony at Hopewell Elementary School
Monday, May 25, 2026 – 11 am – Pennington Borough Memorial Day Parade
- South Main Street
- Toll Gate Grammar School
Memorial Day Weekend Services
The schedule for Memorial Day weekend services is summarized below. See the full schedule for more information and the timing of each of these services.
Saturday, May 23, 2026, 9 to 11 am – Hopewell Township Services – Harbourton, Titusville, Pennington
- Harbourton Cemetery
- Titusville Methodist Church
- Titusville Presbyterian Church
- Pennington Methodist Church
Saturday, May 23, 2026, 11 am –
Hopewell Valley Veterans Association Memorial Day Ceremony – Woolsey Park
- Veterans Memorial at Woolsey Park
- 221 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road,
Titusville, NJ 08560
Sunday, May 24, 2026, 9 to 11 am – Hopewell Borough Services
- Highland Cemetery
- Stoutsburg Cemetery
- Hunt Family Cemetery
- St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church
- Hopewell Fire Department
- Hopewell Old School Baptist Church
- Hopewell Elementary School
Monday, May 25, 2026, 9 to 10 am – Pennington Borough Services
- St. James Roman Catholic Church
- Pennington Presbyterian Church – Cemetery
- Masons Lodge – Monument
- Pennington African Cemetery
- Old Sun Bank – Monument
We welcome additional Memorial Day and other event information, photos, and videos to share. The site currently has material from Hopewell, Pennington, and Titusville, including Hopewell parades back to 1946 (see below).
More on Memorial Day Activities
Posts on Memorial Day parades and activities
See also Town Events and Veterans Organizations
Memorial Day Parades
- Hopewell Parade Videos 1946 – 1948 – Memorial Day & 1948 Firemen’s videos
- Hopewell Memorial Day Parades c. 1950
- Hopewell Scenes – Memorial Day 1950 – 1990
- Hopewell Memorial Day Parades – 1960s & 70s
- Memorial Day Snapshots – Behind the Scenes – 1960s and 2005
- Memorial Day 1967 – Eagle Bakery
- Pennington Memorial Day Parade Video – 1984
- Hopewell Borough Memorial Day Parade – 1992
- 1990s Pennington Parade Videos – May Day, Memorial Day
Memorial Day and Related History
- Memorial Day – Hopewell’s First Fatality in WW II (1943)
- V-J Day in Hopewell (1945), as reported in the Hopewell News
- 1940s Hopewell Videos – Hopewell Honor Roll
- Where are the Hopewell Valley WW II Honor Rolls?
- Where are the Pennington Honor Rolls?
- Building World War II Avenger Torpedo Bombers at Mercer Airport (1942-45)
Veterans Organizations
- Hopewell Borough Veterans Organizations – GAR & American Legion
Media
- Images: Hopewell Memorial Day Album (Image Gallery)
- Video: Anderson Hopewell Parades 1946-48 (YouTube)
Memorial Day Observances
