Federal budgetary sputters and a government shutdown that lasted until a few days before Yorktown Day were not enough to stop many of Saturday’s scheduled festivities.
Yorktown Day — a celebration of the anniversary of the American and French defeat of British forces at Yorktown in 1781 — is an institution in the county, where it is enshrined as a holiday for county employees and offices. This year’s celebration will move forward despite a lack of participation from the federal government.
During a typical year’s celebration, color guards from the branches of the military stationed in the area would participate in the annual parade. The National Park Service is not participating in this year’s parade due to budget cuts, causing the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 824 to step up and take over its organization. They replaced the military color guards with local students who are members of the Reserve Officer Training Core program.
“It’s important that we do the things that support Americanism,” said Jim Shamblen, a member of Post 824 who has helped organize Saturday’s parade. His organization also managed the July 4 parade at Yorktown after budget cuts jeopardized that.
“We thought it was a real disaster not to have a July 4 parade in Yorktown, and we know it’s a disaster not to have a parade on Yorktown Day, which is a significant day in that we gained our independence. We ought to be in the business of protecting that,” Shamblen said.
Post 824 secured the necessary parade permits for Yorktown Day while attracting about 30 entries into the parade.
“We wanted to make it happen,” said Bill Townsley, a Post 824 member. “We’ve been involved in the July 4 parade, and we knew how to make a parade happen. We can do this. It’s a very important ceremony for Yorktown, York County and America.”
Townsley said the planning for the parade has gone smoothly. A narrator will announce who marches by over a public address system that will be set up in the area.
“The reaction from the community has been absolutely positive,” Townsley said. He spoke of one local high school that hosted a bake sale, raising $250 to help Post 824 host the parade. He said all of the costs of the parade have already been met.
NPS Spokesperson Mike Byrd said NPS officials have already removed barricades blocking access to NPS properties from the shutdown, which ended early Thursday. He said the public will have access to the battlefields and tour roads along with the Custom House, Surrender Field and more. The Nelson House would have been open, but the shutdown delayed work on the building, leaving it in a position where it won’t be safe for the public until later.
Yorktown Day is sponsored by Colonial National Historical Park and the Yorktown Day Association. For more information, call 898-2410.
Want to go?
- 9 a.m.: Wreath laying ceremony at the grave of Gov. Thomas Nelson, Jr. at Grace Episcopal Church
- 10 a.m.: Yorktown Day Parade on Main Street
- 11 a.m.: Patriotic exercises and memorial wreath laying ceremony at the Monument to Alliance and Victory
- 11:30 a.m.: $10 Brunswick Stew lunch at Grace Episcopal Church, sponsored by Yorktown Women’s Club
- 12:15 p.m.: Second Regiment of Continental Artillery and Royal Artillery demonstrations at 12:15, 1:15, 2:15 and 3:15 p.m.
- 3:45 p.m.: Battlefield walking tour starting at NPS Visitor Center
- 7 p.m.: Siege at night (including night firing of cannons)
