MARION - There are activities aplenty for veterans and their families this week in Marion. For starters, there is the Moving Wall, a 370-foot-long Vietnam veterans memorial on display today through Sunday in the front parking lot of the Illinois Centre mall.

The Second Annual Celebration of Freedom, a tribute to veterans at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center, is set for 7 p.m. Friday.

The Veterans on Parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday through the downtown area and festivities conclude with the annual veterans' reunion at the Marion VFW.

Marion Main Street vice president and chairman of the Celebration of Freedom event, Bob Stein, said last year's performance was so inspiring that an encore presentation was requested and will be provided. A bevy of personalities will take center stage, narrating and performing individuals and events from the Revolutionary War through the Iraq War.

SIUC President Glenn Poshard will portray President John F. Kennedy. Former John A. Logan College President Ray Hancock will reprise his role as Gen. Logan. Williamson County Commissioner Tracey Reel Glenn will once again be Rosie the Riveter. Mayor Bob Butler will narrate, and Miss Illinois Ashley Hatfield will both narrate and sing. Also singing will be The Phelps Brothers and The Holleys.

Tickets are $15 each and may be purchased in advance at Latta Java, the Marion Chamber of Commerce or by calling 993-5299. Tickets will also be available at the civic center both before and the evening of the show. The doors open at 6.

Ed Davis, chairman of the Veterans on Parade, said he is expecting close to 70 units to participate in this year's parade, up about 15 units from last year.

"We didn't raise quite enough money to bring in the Navy band from Millington, Tenn., as I had hoped, but I'm very proud of the fact that more veterans and their families have been inquiring about the parade," Davis said. "It looks like a lot more folks want to ride in the parade this year."

Davis said that any veteran who needs to ride instead of walk in the parade should meet at the VA Medical Center by 10:30 on Saturday. The parade begins at 11 a.m. at the junior high on Main Street. The procession will move east to Tower Square, where Davis said a special ceremony will be held by the VFW and American Legion to honor all fallen heroes.

Herrin crooner Don Falknor will delight the crowd with his rendition of "One Nation Under God" before the parade continues its path eastward to Washington School where it will finally disperse.

Davis said nurses from the VA are entering a float in this year's extravaganza for the first time. The Illinois National Guard will also be represented, he said. Anyone who would still like to make a last-minute donation may contact Davis at 967-9415.

"This parade is never going to go away as long as I'm living here in Marion," Davis said.

Finally, there is a veterans' reunion planned for the Marion VFW north of town on Saturday afternoon.

Refreshments and music will be provided and all veterans are invited. The doors open at noon and a special ceremony is planned for 2 p.m.

john.homan@thesouthern.com

351-5805