Crowds Turn Out for Alton’s 159th Annual Memorial Day Parade

ALTON - Crowds gathered in Alton on Monday, May 25, 2026, for the city’s 159th consecutive Annual Alton Memorial Day Parade, continuing what organizers described as a longstanding community tradition.

The parade, held on Memorial Day in Alton, marked another year of participation from residents and local groups, according to Steve Schwartz, a parade spokesperson.

“The crowd comes out year after year. We always have great participation from the community coming out and watching the parade, and there are a lot of people to thank,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz said the event’s longevity reflects its place in the community.

“Yes, it is quite a tradition. It is the 159th consecutive year we have had the parade, quite a tradition in Alton that not many other communities in the country have,” he said.

He also credited several organizations and departments for helping make the parade possible.

“The Alton Optimists do the staging and have been doing it for years, and they do a great job,” Schwartz said. “We get East End Association members, the Riverbend Growth Association, the Alton Police Department during the parade, and the City of Alton Street Department puts up the barricades and cleans up all the candy on the streets, and all do a great job."

The annual parade has drawn crowds for 159 consecutive years in Alton, making it a notable Memorial Day tradition for the city.

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