East Hamilton Decoration Day Memorial Service - August 28
Hamilton, ON - August 23, 2016 - The Hamilton Veterans Committee invites you to attend the Sixty-First Annual East Hamilton Decoration Day Memorial Service, to be held on Sunday, August 28, 2016 at 1 pm.
This outdoor event will take place at Eastlawn Cemetery, 2280 Barton Street East, Hamilton.
Decoration Day is a Canadian tradition that began in Hamilton as a way to mark the sacrifice of Canadian Militia members killed at the Battle of Ridgeway during the Fenian Raids of 1866. Families would gather and place living floral tributes on veterans’ graves and on war memorials as a symbol of respect and of hope.
In 1931, the Government of Canada proclaimed November 11th as the national "Remembrance Day"; however, the tradition of Decoration Day - Canada's first day of remembrance - has been maintained in our city thanks to the efforts of the Hamilton Veterans Committee, local branches of the Royal Canadian Legion and local veterans’ organizations.
In memory of those Hamiltonians who paid the ultimate price, all veterans' graves in Eastlawn Cemetery will be decorated as a sign of respect for their sacrifice and the hope that it was not in vain.
For more information about this event, visit www.hamilton.ca/events or call 905-546-2424 ext. 2625.