Veterans Day will be commemorated in Biddeford and Saco on Friday, Nov. 11 with the return of the parade – the first since this rainy 2019 event. Ceremonies marking the day and honoring those who served will follow. Tammy Wells Photo

The communities of Biddeford and Saco will pause to honor veterans on Friday, Nov. 11.

Heart of Biddeford and the Veterans Day Planning Committee are inviting the community to honor all those who have served in the nation’s military during the 2022 Veterans Day Parade.

Starting in front of Saco City Hall at 10 a.m., the parade will proceed down Main Street to Biddeford, ending at Veterans Memorial Park on Alfred Street, where a closing ceremony will occur around 10:40 a.m.

The parade took a two-year hiatus during the COVID shutdowns, opting instead for online versions, said Heart of Biddeford Director Delilah Poupore. Now, in addition to veterans’ organizations and community supporters, the parade will feature three local school marching bands — a huge accomplishment after COVID interrupted in-person music learning, she noted.

This year’s ceremony will recognize the 25th Anniversary of the Military Women’s Memorial and guest speaker will be Colonel Jen Fullmer, USAF Ret.

Master of Ceremonies will be Saco City Councilor and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Nathan Johnston.

Grand Marshal is Pam Payeur of Wounded Heroes Program of Maine.

The 2022 Veterans Day Parade will begin at 10 a.m. in Saco on Nov. 11 and wind down in Biddeford, where there will be ceremonies honoring those who served. Organizers say the parade will feature three local school marching bands. This photo shows the Biddeford Marching Tigers in the 2019 parade. Tammy Wells Photo

Fullmer served 24 years in a variety of leadership positions, including vice commander of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. There, she was second in command of the United States Central Command’s largest air wing, responsible for combat operations and installation support for 8,000 U.S. and coalition warfighters. She clocked more than 2,500 flight hours in the B-1 Bomber, including 90 combat missions over Afghanistan and Iraq during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom from 2001 to 2014.

Following retirement, Fullmer moved to Maine and was founding executive director of Boots2Roots, a nonprofit that helps military members transition to the workforce in Maine.

Poupore said veterans’ organizations or those who support the purpose of the parade may sign up to march in the Veterans Day Parade by completing the registration form by Nov. 4 at: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSfuw7tTCQjAev…/viewform

• As well, on Saturday, Nov. 12, Biddeford Historical Society will host a Veterans Remembrance Celebration at 1 p.m. at First Parish Meetinghouse, 7 Meeting House Road. Fullmer will address the assembly, and there will be readings by Biddeford High School’s History Club members, among others.