Veterans Day, November 11

Veterans Day is a federal holiday falling on Friday, November 11, celebrating America’s Veterans for their courage, patriotism, and service. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I, back in 1918. Originally referred to as Armistice Day, the holiday was renamed Veterans Day after World War II in order to honor all Veterans. Many schools and government businesses receive a day off to commemorate the armed forces, however, in recent years there has been a decrease in business closings on the holiday. Regardless, there are still several Veterans Day celebrations happening throughout San Diego all week.

On Saturday, November 5, visit the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla for a beautiful ceremony featuring music, speakers, and breathtaking views. Also happening on Saturday is the Wings, Wheels, and Warriors Motorcycle Ride, starting at Harley-Davidson in San Marcos. The 95-mile route covers most of East San Diego and sponsors veterans medical research.

On Tuesday, The Veterans Museum and Memorial Center will be recognizing the San Diego County Veteran of the Year. Enjoy the beautiful ceremony, then walk the museum’s grounds, filled with patriotic, military and war-related memorabilia, artifacts, photographs, and other artwork.

On Veterans Day itself, you won’t want to miss the 25^th Annual San Diego Veterans Day Parade, themed “Desert Storm Veterans.” Salute your Veterans, view impressive floats, and listen to speakers tell stories of their service for our country. The parade runs along Pacific Highway from Cedar southward to Harbor Drive.

The Veterans Day 5K is a popular San Diego event for the holiday. Run a 5K with some commemorative clothing or accessories to help support your troops. A portion of the proceeds go to USO San Diego to enhance the quality of life for our armed forces and their families.

There are a variety of free attractions for Veterans on Friday. Just show an active military ID and enjoy free meals and admission to many locations, including the USS Midway Museum and more. Hornblower and Flagship offer free cruises to veterans on any of their one or two hour excursions. For an extensive list of free Veterans activities, click here!