To commemorate the contributions and sacrifices of the men and women who have served to protect the country, the city of Barrie, along with the Barrie Royal Legion branch have scheduled a number of special events this Remembrance Day.

“The accomplishments of Canadian soldiers who fought in WWI solidified Canada’s reputation for defending peace and freedom around the world, which continues to this day,” Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman said in a news release. “These achievements came at a high price and as we join together to mark the 100th anniversary of the WWI armistice, we remember the great sacrifices of the men and women who served and continue to serve to protect the values of freedom and democracy.”

Here is a list of events happening in Barrie this Remembrance Day:

Remembrance Day vigil

From 7 p.m. on Saturday to 7 a.m. on Sunday, five cadets in rotating shifts will stand vigil at the Cenotaph located in Memorial Square in downtown Barrie.

Remembrance Day parade and ceremony

On Sunday, the annual Remembrance Day parade will take place in downtown Barrie.

Beginning at 10 a.m., the parade will march from Dunlop Street at Mulcaster Street to the Five Points intersection.

The parade will halt in front of the Cenotaph in Memorial Square for the Remembrance Day ceremony.

Two minutes of silence will be observed at 11 a.m., followed by the ceremony at Memorial Square and the laying of wreaths.

WE MUST HAVE MORE MEN! Barrie and the Great War

On Sunday, a special performance of Theatre By the Bay’s WE MUST HAVE MORE MEN! Barrie and the Great War will take place at Meridian Place.

“The play brings to life the personal accounts of the soldiers from Barrie and Simcoe County who fought in the trenches, at sea, and in the air in the Great War, as well as the wives and children who kept the home fires burning,” the release reads.

The performance will take place immediately following the Remembrance Day ceremony, at approximately 12 p.m.

First World War armistice ceremony

This Sunday, Nov. 11, marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War in 1918.

On Sunday at 4:30 p.m., members of the military, cadets and their family members will gather at Military Heritage Park to honour those from Barrie and Simcoe County area who served in the First World War.

Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Bells of Peace

On Sunday, local churches will ring their bells 100 times at 4:56 p.m., to emulate the moment in 1918 when church bells across Europe rang when four years of war had ended.

Commemoration of the fallen

The Legion will line the entrances to the Barrie Union, St. Mary’s Catholic and St. Paul’s Anglican cemeteries in Barrie with 100 Canadian flags to commemorate the fallen.

Simcoe County Remembers

The County of Simcoe Archives has launched a virtual memorial titled Simcoe County Remembers, to honour 1,006 men and women with ties to Simcoe County who died while in service or as a result of injuries sustained during the First World War.

Simcoe County Remembers can be accessed online on the county’s website.

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