BROOKVILLE — Council approved the special event permit allowing the Brookville High School Senior Class of 2023 to hold its annual parade on Wednesday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m.

“The parade route will begin with the line-up on Carr Drive at 6 p.m.” city manager Sonja Keaton said.

“The parade route will be Carr Drive to Cusick Avenue to Market Street to Western Avenue and then into the school,” Keaton said.

Keaton said the parade replaced what the senior class had done in the past due to Covid.

“As council may recall, with Covid they did the parade versus doing the other event they used to do at the end of the school year when school was allowed to reopen probably in 2020-2021,” Keaton said.

“That’s what they started and they want to continue with the parade,” Keaton continued.

According to police chief Doug Jerome, the parade falls on the same date as the annual “Run For The Wall” event that stops in Brookville.

The event is an annual motorcycle ride from California to Washington D.C.

The Run for the Wall website states the purpose of the event is “to maintain public and political awareness on POW/MIA/KIA issues and to support the past and present service members, their families and friends from all wars and conflicts.”

Jerome said as the motorcyclists head east from California, they will pick up additional riders along the way.

Jerome said as the motorcyclists enter Ohio, they will receive a police escort that will take them to Brookville.

“Several Ohio sheriff offices volunteer their motor patrol who meet the riders at the Indiana-Ohio border on I-70,” Jerome said.

Jerome said he believes the motorcyclists will arrive in the city as early as 4:30 p.m.

Jerome said once they arrive in Brookville, they will make their way to AMVETS Post 1789, located at 715 Market St., where a ceremony will be held at approximately 5 p.m.

Jerome said many of the motorcyclists will stay overnight at a local motel and then have breakfast the next morning at VFW Post 3288, located at 210 Carr Drive.

Jerome said after breakfast, they will continue their trip to Washington D.C. where they will end the ride at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial.

Jerome said Brookville has been part of the event for numerous years.

“We don’t know how many bikers will come to Brookville May 24. In the past we’ve seen 100. We’ve also seen 50 and we’ve seen 20,” Jerome said.

No matter how many motorcyclists show up, Jerome said his department will be ready to assist them.

Jerome said his department will also be ready for the senior parade that follows the arrival of the motorcyclists.

“It’s going to be a busy and challenging night, but we’ll make it work,” Jerome said.

Reach Terry Baver at [email protected]