Many North Texas Memorial Day events remain scaled back, but some pre-pandemic ceremonies returning

Many North Texas Memorial Day events honoring fallen service members will still be scaled back like they were last year.

DALLAS - Many North Texas Memorial Day events honoring fallen service members will still be scaled back like they were last year.

The public will get to be involved to a certain degree, but not as much as in 2019 and prior.

Last year, Memorial Day was filled with virtual events. At that time, COVID-19 was surging in the U.S.

This year, we will see a return to honoring the fallen in person.

"Felt like we were letting the community down by not being able to pull together everyone to have this remembrance ceremony on such a grand scale," said Chad Pritchett, family services manager for Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery.

Saturday, there will be a return to normal at Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery in North Dallas.

American flags are placed at each headstone in the United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day weekend, May 22, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The annual Avenue of Flags Ceremony was virtual last year, but families are invited to come in person this weekend.

There is still one pandemic impact though, as the Memorial Day program will once again be canceled.

"With just the recent reopening, we were not able to pull the resources to hold our complete format this year," Pritchett explained.

The annual large scale public Memorial Day program at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery is canceled again as well.

Instead, there will be a private ceremony.

But unlike last year, American flags will be placed at all headstones this year.

In 2020, COVID concerns prevented the Flags for Fallen Veterans group to place them.

Sunday, volunteers will be at the cemetery again.

For some, this holiday is just an extended weekend and the start to summer.

But organizers said it’s important to pause and remember.

"It’s important for us to remember everything that they sacrificed for the freedoms you and I enjoy every day," Pritchett added.

The event at Restland starts Saturday at 10 a.m.

For those who can’t attend, it will be streamed on Facebook.