~ Remembrance Day in YDH: Where and How to Remember ~

On November 11, communities across York Region, Durham Region, and Headwaters gather at cenotaphs and civic squares to observe two minutes of silence, lay wreaths, and honour those who served. Below is a clear guide to the ceremonies you’re most likely to attend in York Durham Headwaters (YDH), with links to official notices or host organizations so you can confirm final details as the day approaches. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

York Region

Aurora

Aurora marks Remembrance with a full season of commemorative programming and a November 11 service at the Aurora War Memorial / Peace Park. The Town maintains a dedicated page for Remembrance observances and, in 2025, is also marking the cenotaph’s 100th anniversary with a formal rededication led by the local Legion. Check the Town’s noticeboard for November 11 timing and any related road closures. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Newmarket

Newmarket’s ceremony is traditionally held at Veterans’ Memorial Park (D’Arcy & Church), led by the Newmarket Veterans’ Association and the local Legion, with a parade stepping off before 11 a.m. Official town posts and local reporting place the service around 10:40–10:45 a.m.; confirm the exact start time on the Town’s event listings. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill conducts a parade down Yonge Street to the Richmond Hill Cenotaph (10100 Yonge St), followed by a ceremony that has recently begun about 10:45 a.m. The City’s 2024 mayoral notice and community postings outline the format; watch for the City’s 2025 page for this year’s specifics. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Vaughan

Vaughan hosts its civic Remembrance Day at the Woodbridge Cenotaph, with the City’s page confirming the Nov. 11 observance and typical late-morning program; recent listings showed a 10:30 a.m.–noon window. Check the 2025 posting for exact times and any procession details. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

East Gwillimbury

East Gwillimbury’s official service takes place at the Civic Centre Cenotaph (19000 Leslie St.) and is scheduled to begin at 10:40 a.m. on Nov. 11. The Town’s service page is the best reference for timing, parking and accessibility.

Georgina (Sutton, Keswick, Pefferlaw)

Georgina runs multiple ceremonies over Nov. 10–11 at the Sutton and Keswick cenotaphs and at Pefferlaw Lions Hall. The Town’s announcement lists times (e.g., Sutton and Keswick services on both days; Pefferlaw Sunday afternoon). Always check the municipal events feed in case of weather adjustments. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

King Township & Whitchurch-Stouffville

King typically lists services (e.g., Schomberg Cenotaph) in its events calendar or notices; follow the Township channels for the year’s confirmed schedule. Whitchurch-Stouffville’s ceremony is hosted by RCL Branch 459—recent listings placed the service around 10:45–11:30 a.m.; see the Legion’s page for 2025 details. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Durham Region

Oshawa

Oshawa’s city ceremony at Memorial Park Cenotaph (110 Simcoe St. S.) is organized by Legion Branches 43 & 637 and, for 2025, is posted to begin 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with a Rogers TV Durham broadcast starting at 10:30 a.m. This is one of the region’s largest civic services.

Whitby (Whitby, Brooklin & Intrepid Park)

The Town promotes three simultaneous 11:00 a.m. observances: Whitby Cenotaph (Branch 112), Brooklin Cenotaph (Branch 152), and Intrepid Park (Camp X), hosted with the Canadian Armed Forces. The Town’s news posts outline locations and options for residents. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Pickering

Pickering’s ceremony is held at the City Hall Courtyard Cenotaph (One The Esplanade), with the event hosted alongside RCL Branch 606. Recent municipal and tourism posts show a 10:45 a.m. start and occasional parade step-off from the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Ajax

RCL Branch 322 (Ajax) hosts the town’s Remembrance observance at the cairn in front of the branch; municipal channels often amplify the details. Recent posts referenced a ~10:55 a.m. start. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Clarington (Bowmanville, Newcastle, Orono)

Clarington promotes multiple ceremonies and remembrance initiatives, with Bowmanville’s Veterans’ Square serving as a focal site after renovations and accessibility upgrades. Confirm local branch timings for Newcastle and Orono.

Scugog (Port Perry & Blackstock)

Port Perry’s program typically forms up at the Scugog Memorial Public Library at 10:30 a.m., processes to the Township Cenotaph (181 Perry St.) for an ~10:45 a.m. service; a Port Perry Legion service follows. The Township posts route closures and times each year. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Uxbridge

RCL Branch 170 leads the parade to the Uxbridge Cenotaph (Brock & Toronto) for a 10:30 a.m. service (recent Town advertising). Watch Branch and Township feeds for 2025 confirmation. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Brock (Beaverton, Cannington, Sunderland)

Brock’s three Legion branches host separate ceremonies in Beaverton, Cannington, and Sunderland. Typical formats include a mid-morning parade to the cenotaph and an 11 a.m. observance; local officials and police often share on-the-day updates.

Headwaters (Dufferin–Caledon–Erin)

Orangeville

RCL Branch 233 leads Orangeville’s parade from 5 John St. to the Alexandra Park Cenotaph (beside Town Hall, 87 Broadway), with the ceremony running just before 11 a.m. Town and local media outline the route and timing each November.

Shelburne

Shelburne’s Remembrance Day ceremony takes place at the Cenotaph on King St., just before 11 a.m., with contingency plans for inclement weather announced by the Town. Recent municipal posts and regional listings confirm location and time.

Caledon (Mono Mills, Alton, Bolton)

Caledon holds several services across its villages. Mono Mills Cenotaph (35 Victoria Crescent) hosted a late-October Sunday service in 2024; Alton Legion Hall holds a Sunday ceremony (10 a.m. in 2024), and Bolton’s cenotaph is among the Town’s designated remembrance sites. Look for the Town calendar to publish the 2025 slate. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Town of Erin

Erin’s observances center on the Erin Village Cenotaph (Main & Union), with ceremonies on Nov. 10 and activities on Nov. 11 (including past overnight vigil details). The Town and Legion share timing and road-closure notices in the lead-up.

What to Expect at YDH Ceremonies

Start times and flow. Most YDH services begin between 10:30 and 10:45 a.m., moving into the two minutes of silence at 11:00, followed by the Act of Remembrance and wreath-laying. Municipal pages for Oshawa, Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Whitby, and Pickering show this pattern year after year. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Parades and route closures. Many communities step off from a legion, library, or recreation centre and march to the cenotaph, examples include Port Perry (library to cenotaph), Orangeville (John St. to Alexandra Park), and Pickering (recreation complex to City Hall courtyard). Town notices include road closures and accessibility guidance; check those the week of Nov. 11. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Multiple sites in one municipality. Whitby (Whitby, Brooklin, Intrepid Park), Georgina (Sutton, Keswick, Pefferlaw), and Caledon (Mono Mills, Alton, Bolton) may host several observances over the Nov. 10–11 period; choose the site closest to you or one with family ties. (Remembrance Day in YDH)

Broadcasts and online info. Larger services often offer a livestream or broadcast (e.g., Oshawa via Rogers TV Durham) or quick updates on municipal/Legion social channels. If crowds are a concern, look for those options.

Where to double-check. Your most reliable sources are the municipal event pages and local Legion branches. The Royal Canadian Legion also maintains a Canada-wide ceremony finder to help you locate nearby services, though final times are always best confirmed with the host.

A Shared Promise, Close to Home

Remembrance in YDH is both grand and intimate. Thousands line Yonge Street in Richmond Hill and gather at Woodbridge’s cenotaph in Vaughan; neighbours in King and Stouffville assemble with their branches; families in Uxbridge, Beaverton, Cannington and Sunderland turn out for small-town parades that end at simple stones etched with names. In Whitby, Brooklin and Intrepid Park, three parallel observances converge on one shared silence at 11:00. Port Perry processes from the library to the cenotaph, just as Orangeville marches from John Street to Alexandra Park. However you mark the day, at a major civic square or a village monument, you are part of a living, local promise: we will remember them.

Quick-Reference Checklist (verify week-of)

• Aurora — Cenotaph/Peace Park; Town page updates.
• Newmarket — Veterans’ Memorial Park (D’Arcy & Church), ~10:40–10:45 a.m. pattern.
• Richmond Hill — Parade to 10100 Yonge St; ceremony ~10:45 a.m.
• Vaughan — Woodbridge Cenotaph; late-morning ceremony.
• East Gwillimbury — Civic Centre Cenotaph, 10:40 a.m.
• Georgina — Sutton/Keswick/Pefferlaw across Nov. 10–11.
• King — Township services (watch events listings).
• Whitchurch-Stouffville — Branch 459 service; ~10:45 a.m. window.
• Oshawa — Memorial Park, 10:45 a.m. (Rogers TV broadcast).
• Whitby/Brooklin/Intrepid Park — three 11:00 a.m. services.
• Pickering — City Hall Courtyard Cenotaph, ~10:45 a.m.
• Ajax — Branch 322 cairn ceremony, late morning.
• Clarington — Multiple local services; Veterans’ Square (Bowmanville) focal point.
• Scugog (Port Perry) — Library to cenotaph; 10:30 a.m. form-up, ~10:45 a.m. service.
• Uxbridge — Parade to cenotaph; 10:30 a.m. service (recent).
• Brock (Beaverton/Cannington/Sunderland) — Branch-hosted services.
• Orangeville — Parade from 5 John St. to Alexandra Park.
• Shelburne — Cenotaph on King St., just before 11 a.m.
• Caledon (Mono Mills/Alton/Bolton) — Multiple village services; see Town notices.
• Erin — Erin Village Cenotaph; Nov. 10/11 observances and road-closure notices.