A parade four divisions in length with seven musical groups made for a superb 150th Memorial Day celebration in Summit Hill on Monday.

The march contained high school bands, marching fire department members, emergency apparatus, Little League Baseball and softball players, Civil War re-enactors, churches and — of course — military personnel; veterans and current members.

“This is always a nice parade,” said Summit Hill Mayor Paul McArdle. “And we always have a nice turnout.”

The festive parade followed a more serious service in Ludlow Park.

The parade had its official start when 90-year-old John Majez, who served in the Army right after the end of World War II and was part of the occupancy forces in Japan, rang the large, metal bell in Ludlow Park. The bell was salvaged from the former Summit Hill High School, from where Majez had graduated.

Majez was assisted by his grandson, Kory Lopata, and Robert Crampsie, a member of the Memorial Day Parade Committee.

Musical units in the parade were the Panther Valley High School Marching Band, Jim Thorpe High School Marching Band, Shenandoah High School Marching Band, Blue Eagle Drum and Bugle Alumni Band, Northeast Variety Band, Cairngorm Pipes and Drums and the vocal duo of Clay and Tom.

Cloudy skies and light fog didn’t diminish attendance, as spectators lined the entire parade route where children held bags to collect candy tossed by the marchers. The Dance Factory not only threw candy but also tossed packs of sidewalk chalk to young spectators.

On White Street, the Evans Family handed frozen pops to youth marchers.

Donna Evans said they’ve been doing this since they moved to Summit Hill in 2010.

“We do it every year,” she said while standing under a canopy with her children. “It’s our way of giving back to the community.”

The parade was led by the Summit Hill Police Department and the grand marshal.

The Summit Hill American Legion color guard followed.

The Civil War Unit, 81st PA Volunteers, has become a perennial entry in the parade. The group is always a crowd pleaser, stopping at each intersection and firing their black powder rifles.

There were several floats.

One was adorned in red, white and blue and carried members of the Hope of Christ Presbyterian Church, Shining Stars Pre-School.

Another was a decorated motor boat with those aboard wearing life jackets. It carried the message, “Heroes Save Lives, So Do These,” referring to those jackets. The float was put in the parade by the Nolan Ritchie Stay Afloat Foundation.

The foundation was created to bring awareness of drowning and water safety and was created in memory of Nolan Ritchie, a local youth who drowned at the age of 7 in 2012.