Auburn, Washington is designated by the Veterans Day National Committee and the US Department of Veterans Affairs as a Regional Site for the celebration of Veterans Day 2020. The City of Auburn is proud to be a Vietnam War Commemorative Partner and considers it an honor and privilege to host this event. Auburn has hosted the Veterans Parade since 1965. Now in its 55th year, the parade has grown into one of the largest parades of its kind in the United States of America.
Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, we are unable to host the typical parade and other activities in the traditional way this year. However, the City of Auburn is still committed to honoring our Veterans in 2020 and will be offering Auburn's Salute to Veterans this November. The five-day celebration will begin on Saturday, November 7 with a vehicle procession, feature a variety of video tributes and other special activities and culminate with a Remembrance Ceremony on Wednesday, November 11.
Check the schedule for details of each day. Some events are virtual and some are in-person.
Saturday, November 7
Veterans Vehicle Procession
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Veterans Memorial Park, 411 E Street SE
This event will give both parade participants and our loyal spectators an opportunity to participate. Participation in the procession is geared for Veterans, active military, Veteran Service Organizations, historic military vehicles and living history groups and other Veteran-related groups. Procession participants will do a 'drive-thru', 'contactless' check-in at Veterans Memorial Park and enter the procession route. Procession participants will receive an item at check-in that will help identify their vehicles as part of the procession in order for spectators to more easily identify them and cheer them on.
We encourage our community groups and parade spectators to find a spot along the procession route to welcome our Veterans along the way. Click HERE for the Procession Spectator Map for suggested viewing locations. This is meant to be a fun twist to our traditional parade. The vehicle procession route is 3 miles long (that's roughly 6 times the length of the traditional parade), allowing for social distancing for our spectators. It is imperative that the spectators follow social distancing and other COVID-safety requirements currently in place while viewing the procession.
Sunday, November 8
Virtual Veterans Tribute Program
Airing at 6:30 PM
This virtual program will include live performances, patriotic music, inspirational stories and a walk down memory lane. The program will be showcased on all of Auburn's social media outlets on November 8 at 6:30 PM.
Monday, November 9
Virtual Veterans Museum Showcase
A thoughtfully compiled list of virtual exhibits at our local and national Veterans Museums that you won't want to miss, along with a handful of local artifacts and historical stories curated by Auburn's own White River Valley Museum.
Tuesday, November 10
Sweet Treats for Vets (sponsored in part by the Auburn Noon Lions)
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Auburn Senior Activity Center, 808 Ninth Street SE
Coffee and cinnamon rolls for Veterans and our active military. This is slated to be a drive-thru event at the Auburn Senior Activity Center. So we can properly plan, we will be requiring guests to complete a simple registration form to RSVP for this free event. RSVP'ing is available through November 6 at 12:00 PM. Thank you to the Auburn Noon Lions Club for sponsoring this event!
Wednesday, November 11
Virtual Remembrance Ceremony
Airing at 11:00 AM
A pre-recorded ceremony from a previous year to enjoy as we celebrate Veterans Day! Take some time to thank a Veteran for their service and sacrifice.
Image from a prior year's parade. Credit: JSSWA Washington National Guard/Flickr CC
