According to a news release from Colonial National Historical Park, Yorktown Day, which will be held Wednesday, marks the anniversary of the American-French victory in 1781 over the British. The Siege of Yorktown was the decisive battle of the American Revolution, and over 8,000 British troops surrendered to forces under the command of George Washington.
Yorktown Day will also be a Centennial Signature Event at Yorktown Battlefield, which is administered by Colonial National Historical Park. The day’s celebrations will feature a Yorktown Day Parade and Commemorative Ceremony at the Monument to Victory and Alliance, which is also known as the Yorktown Victory Monument.
The Yorktown Day Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. The parade route will follow Yorktown’s Main Street and pass in front of the Monument to Alliance and Victory. Thirty-five parade units will represent all branches of the U.S. military, fife and drum corps – including The U.S. Army Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps – JROTC and NJROTC units, and other patriotic organizations. Patriotic exercises will commence at the Monument to Alliance and Victory at 11:15 a.m. with the annual pageant of flags.
The pageant includes the American and French national colors, the flags of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and the flags of the 13 Yorktown Day Association members. After the parade and the pageant, a wreath will be placed on the monument in memory of veterans of the siege of Yorktown in 1781. The annual Yorktown Women’s Club Brunswick stew lunch will be held at Grace Episcopal Church at 11:30 a.m. Admission to Yorktown Battlefield will be free on Wednesday as part of the Yorktown Day celebration. For more information, call (757) 898-2410 or visit www.nps.gov/colo.
According to a county news release, county offices will be closed on Wednesday in observance of Yorktown Day. York County offices, York-Poquoson Social Services, county public libraries and Waste Management Center offices will be closed. VPPSA Composting Facility, Drop-off Centers for Garbage & Recycling, Garbage Transfer Station, York County Courts and the Virginia Cooperative Extension will remain open. Garbage and recycling collection will not be affected by Yorktown Day. For more information, please call the Public Information Office at (757) 890-3300
As a result of Yorktown Day festivities, automobile access to the following streets in historic Yorktown will be restricted to residents and their guests from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Zweybrucken Road, Bacon Street Smith Street, Nelson Street, Read Street, Church Street and Main Street.
The Yorktown Trolley will alter its route to accommodate the York Day parade and ceremony. From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. the trolley will run from the National Park Service Visitor Center to Yorktown Victory Center via Ballard Street to Water Street and return via Water Street and Ballard Street. The trolley will return to its usual route after 12 p.m. All public parking areas in historic Yorktown will be open to the public with the exception of the lot between Church Street and Read Street and behind the County Administration Center, 224 Ballard Street. Both lots will be unavailable between 9 and 11 a.m. For more information, call Parks, Recreation & Tourism at (757) 890-3500 or Colonial National Historical Park at (757) 898-2410
