Hundreds showed up on a picture-perfect morning for Prior Lake’s observance of Memorial Day.

Local residents lined 160th Street on Monday for the parade that traveled between the two Prior Lake middle schools and Memorial Park. There, the hour-long program featured presentations by elected officials, patriotic musical selections played by bands from Prior Lake High School and the Prior Lake middle schools, and tributes to deceased service members.

Guest speakers included Prior Lake Mayor Kirt Briggs, state Sen. Eric Pratt, state Rep. Ben Bakeberg and Credit River Mayor Chris Kostik. The presentation of wreaths and reading of the names of recently-deceased veterans was led by Prior Lake VFW leaders, Commander Jake Roach and Prior Lake VFW Auxiliary President Lynda Allen. Prayers for deceased veterans were led by VFW Chaplain Chuck Dressen and Auxiliary Chaplain Louanne Krueger.

During the ceremony, Briggs paid special tribute to Patrick Cawley, a young man from Prior Lake who was killed during the Vietnam War. In his honor, a plaque will be placed in Lakefront Park. He is one of two local men killed in the war that ended 50 years ago. The other was Thomas Ryan, for whom a park within the city is named.

The ceremony ended with a gun salute from the Prior Lake VFW Honor Guard and playing of “Taps.”