Published May 19, 2026

The City of Dearborn’s 100th Memorial Day Parade and Remembrance Ceremony will take place beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 25, 2026.

This year’s special centennial parade, held in consultation with the Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council (DAWVC), marks the event as the longest-running Memorial Day parade in Michigan. 

Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud stated, “The 2026 Memorial Day Parade marks a historic and meaningful milestone for the City of Dearborn as we pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of all fallen servicemembers, including the 347 individuals from our hometown who lost their lives in the line of duty. We gather as one community to ensure that Dearborn always remembers. We are also proud to welcome home Dearborn’s own United States Navy Captain Houssain “Sam” T. Sareini as our Grand Marshal for this centennial year.”

Bring the tribute to your neighborhood
In honor of Dearborn’s 100th Memorial Day Parade, the City of Dearborn has organized additional programming to honor the 347 Dearborn men and women who died in service to the nation.

One of these programs is the Dearborn Remembers Yard Sign Project, which seeks to educate the community on the legacies of the 347 servicemembers by showcasing where they lived, worked, and studied.

As part of the project, complimentary commemorative yard signs are available to Dearborn homeowners, businesses, and schools. The signs feature a QR code linking the Dearborn Remembers webpage, which contains biographical details, photos, and stories of the 347 fallen servicemembers. To request a yard sign, residents can fill out the form found on the Dearborn Remembers Official Page, or call 311 to connect with a City representative. Signs are available while supplies last.

In addition to the Yard Sign Project, the City is also hosting an outdoor strolling gallery at PEACE Park East through the month of May.

This gallery showcases how Dearborn has commemorated Memorial Day for the past 100 years, featuring photos of past parades from the 1920s and onward.

As an additional tribute, Michigan Ave will feature street pole banners along the parade route paying tribute to these Dearborn servicemembers with their photos and service information.

These projects wouldn’t be possible without the help of the Dearborn Historical Museum and Lisa Lark, an author, researcher, and communications professional born and raised in Dearborn who has dedicated herself to preserving the stories of U.S. servicemembers who died in military service.

Parade route and schedule
The centennial parade will be led by Dearborn native and United States Navy Captain Houssain “Sam” T. Sareini, who will serve as the 2026 Grand Marshal.

• 9:30 a.m. – Ceremonial Military Funeral Procession: The morning begins with a funeral procession designed to pay tribute to former armed servicemembers who were not interred.
• 10 a.m. – Dearborn’s 100th Memorial Day Parade: The parade will begin immediately following the procession, featuring over 90 marching bands, veteran groups, and community organizations.

The procession and parade will travel from east to west Dearborn with staging beginning at the corner of Michigan Ave and Schaefer Rd. The route continues along Michigan Ave heading westward, concluding at the Veterans Park and War Memorial located in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave.

Following the parade, a formal Remembrance Ceremony will take place at approximately 12 p.m. Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud and Grand Marshal Captain Sareini, will deliver remarks to formally conclude the historic day of reflection.

During the Remembrance Ceremony, the City of Dearborn is additionally planning a reading of the 347 names of fallen Dearborn servicemembers listed on the City's war memorial. The reading will be conducted by veterans, family members of the fallen servicemembers, elected officials, and community partners.

For more information, visit the city's official Memorial Day Parade Event Page. 

Safety notice
To ensure the safety of participants and attendees, Michigan Ave. will be closed to all traffic between Schaefer Rd and the Henry Ford Centennial Library from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, May 25.

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