Methuen’s former Veterans Services Director Ed “Hoppy” Curran said this year’s much improved turnout of Veterans Day parade-goers was a sight for sore eyes!

“You know, it’s tough when you start that march up Broadway and there aren’t many people there,” the proud and active Vietnam veteran told MethuenLife. “This was the best turnout I’ve seen in Methuen. It was great!”

For years, the number of people attending this parade – which always takes place on Veterans Day at 10am and follows the same route up Broadway, through Methuen Square, down Lowell Street and into Walnut Grove Cemetery – has been dismal. Thanks to a social media push, a reminder robo-call by Acting Mayor DJ Beauregard and some glorious weather provided by Mother Nature, this year’s turnout was up significantly with several hundred lining the route! While there’s always room for improvement, it was wonderful to see large swaths of parade-watchers waving flags and applauding as the veterans passed by on foot, on flatbed, and in cars and golf carts.

There were also musical groups, schoolchildren, Boy and Girl Scouts, city and state officials and others marching the route, as well as Methuen Exchange Club members who handed out small U.S. flags.

Veterans Services Director Paul Jensen and several fellow veterans told MethuenLife that they were pleased with the public turnout.

You can watch the parade and the ceremony that followed on MethuenTV.org. Click “Video on Demand,” then “Community TV” and search for “City of Methuen – Veteran’s Day 2024.”