From a pre-sunrise roll call at Long Beach's Rosie the Riveter Park to small-town parades in Valley and foothill neighborhoods, communities across Los Angeles and parts of Orange County paused Monday for Memorial Day observances. In Long Beach, the day centers on a formal unveiling at the Honoring Our Fallen memorial wall and an hour-long reading of the names of those killed in combat and training since 9/11, while parades, religious services, and cemetery ceremonies stretch from morning into the afternoon across both counties.
Long Beach: names, rubbings, and new plates
Honoring Our Fallen plans to unveil new memorial plates on its wall, then start the reading of nearly 7,000 names at 5:45 a.m., with Gold Star family members, active-duty service members, first responders, and veterans all taking turns at the microphone. Organizers are providing special paper and charcoal pencils so relatives can make rubbings of their loved ones' names, and they expect the solemn roll call to wrap up around 1 p.m., according to Honoring Our Fallen.
Citywide roundup: parades and services
Local reporting notes that the 34th Canoga Park parade starts with a 10 a.m. ceremony before stepping off at 11 a.m. along Sherman Way, while La Cañada Flintridge is holding a 9 a.m. memorial service followed by an 11 a.m. parade down Foothill Boulevard. The schedule also includes an outdoor Mass at San Fernando Mission Cemetery and ceremonies at several other local cemeteries. MyNewsLA reported the detailed lineups.
Canoga Park's hometown parade
Canoga Park's "Saluting the Price of Freedom" parade is set to bring out marching bands, floats, and a Condor Squadron flyover, with Rear Adm. Dave Barnes serving as grand marshal. Organizers are asking attendees to be in place for the 10 a.m. opening ceremony before the 11 a.m. step-off, with the route running along Sherman Way from Owensmouth to Cozycroft. Event specifics are posted by the Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade.
Forest Lawn remembrances
Forest Lawn is hosting free Memorial Day remembrances at six Southern California locations, with most ceremonies beginning at 10 a.m. and Glendale's Field of Honor activity continuing into the afternoon. Across parks in Long Beach, Hollywood Hills, Covina Hills, and Cypress, the programming includes wreath-layings, musical performances, presidential proclamations, and family-oriented activities. Schedules and locations are listed by Forest Lawn.
Orange County: ceremonies across the county
In Orange County, Mission Viejo opened its ceremony at 8:30 a.m., La Palma held its observance at 9 a.m., and the Richard Nixon Presidential Library hosted a 10:30 a.m. "America 250" remembrance in Yorba Linda, among other events. Smaller cities from Fullerton to Dana Point and Huntington Beach scheduled flag presentations and memorial services throughout the morning and midday, according to Voice of OC.
National moment of remembrance and proclamation
Nationwide, a Presidential proclamation designates 11 a.m. in each locality as a time for united prayer and asks Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time. The full text of that proclamation is posted by the American Presidency Project.
Organizers are urging attendees to check event pages for any last-minute changes or livestream links; Honoring Our Fallen has said its name reading will be streamed and that the group posts schedules on its site. For specific neighborhood details and updated times, residents are advised to confirm with individual parade and cemetery pages before heading out, including the listings from Honoring Our Fallen.
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