Loyalty Day parade is Sunday in Batavia

Batavia's 36th Loyalty Day Parade steps off at 1:30 p.m. Sunday from Raddant Road and Wilson Street, with former leaders of VFW Post 1197 leading the way.

The parade is organized each year by the Veterans of Foreign War. The theme for Sunday's parade is "Batavia Overseas Post 1197, 75 Years of Continuous Service."

The parade will have 104 units, including marching bands, veterans organizations, Scout troops and youth sports teams. The grand marshals will be the past commanders, about 30 of whom are scheduled to walk or ride in the parade, chairman Bob Zeman said Friday.

The Batavia High School band and the Great Lakes Navy band are scheduled to participate in the parade, which from Raddant proceeds west on Wilson to Route 25, then south on Route 25 to the VFW headquarters.

After the parade, the post will host a party until 5 p.m. There will be food for sale, children's games, entertainment and raffles.

Loyalty Day is officially May 1, on May Day. The holiday was first observed in 1921 as "Americanization Day" after VFWs across the country implored Congress to make it an official holiday, which it did in July 1958. President Eisenhower proclaimed May 1, 1959 the first official observance of Loyalty Day.

The purpose of Loyalty Day is to bring people together and inspire patriotism, according to the national VFW.