Dutchess County Fire Truck Drive-By Parade Happening Monday

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no Memorial Day parades in our area this year, but that's not stopping the fire departments in Dutchess County.

Amid the coronavirus crisis, all the local area Memorial Day parades have been canceled, but that's not stopping Dutchess County from remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

According to poughkeepsiejournal.com, the County in association with Veteran Services will be celebrating Memorial Day with a fire department drive-by parade. These drive-by parades have become very popular in various towns since the shelter in place orders. Fire departments show their muscle with parades of trucks through neighborhoods where children are celebrating birthdays, or there are other special occasions.

The drive-by parade, which will feature fire trucks from various municipalities, will travel through many towns around the perimeter of Dutchess County.

Marc Coviello is the director of veteran services and he told poughkeepsiejournal.com the specific route the drive-by parade will follow:

The convoy will depart at 11 a.m. from Poughkeepsie and the Dutchess County War Memorial, with two sheriff's office vehicles and, weather dependent, motorcycles. The City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department will join as the cavalcade travels down Main Street, and will decouple before the procession takes Route 9 to Wappingers Falls.

There, the Village of Wappingers Fire Department will meet at a predetermined point, and the pattern of fire vehicles from different towns departing and joining the procession will continue for rest of the journey.

From Wappingers Falls, the parade continues to Fishkill and will proceed from Route 52 into East Fishkill — then from East Fishkill by Route 82 into Hopewell Junction and Route 376. The next stop will be Beekman, taken from Beekman Road in Hopewell Junction, with the stop after being Pawling by way of Route 55.

After, the parade will continue up Routes 22, 343 and 44, making its way through Dover, Amenia and Millerton. It will move forward to Pine Plains by Route 199, then to Milan and Red Hook. The journey will complete, moving south down Route 9, through Rhinebeck and Hyde Park, before arriving back in Poughkeepsie.

In keeping with the social distancing guidelines, Dutchess County officials are stressing the importance of not watching the drive-by parade in large groups, and keep the required distances between spectators.