Seasonal & Holidays
UWS Memorial Day Ceremony Set For Soliders' And Sailors' Monument
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. in front of the monument at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive.
UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A large Memorial Day ceremony will take place Monday on the Upper West Side.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. outside of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive.
The ceremony will pay tribute to members of the armed forces who have died defending the United States' principles and democracy.
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The U.S. Marine Corps Band will begin playing at 10 a.m., and a processional will start at 10:30 a.m.
The processional will feature the Piper New York Caledonian Club, Sons of United Veterans of the Civil War, and the Veteran Corps of Artillery.
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Speakers will include retired Naval Commander and President of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Association Peter Galasina, Council Member Gale Brewer, Council Member Shaun Abreu, Commission of NYC Parks Department Sue Donoghue, Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, and NYPD Commander Paul Spedero.
It will be the first ceremony of its size at the Upper West Side monument since it landed $62 million in the upcoming budget for an upgrade.
The Upper West Side monument has been closed since 2017, after inspectors found drainage issues that that threatened to collapse its retaining walls. The closure has come along with a metal fence around the monument that means nobody has been able to touch or get close to the structure closely in years.
"We are incredibly grateful to the Mayor and the entire City leadership for recognizing the great significance of this monument — and for committing to save it," Riverside Park Conservancy said in a news release at the time of the announcement. "Special thanks to Council Member Gale Brewer, who has been a longtime champion for this unique piece of our city’s past, present and future."
The monument was completed in 1902 and was made a New York City landmark in 1976. It was later made a New York state landmark in 2001.
Its last comprehensive restoration was done in 1962.
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