Largest Veterans Day parade goes coast to coast

The nation’s largest Veterans Day parade in New York City – “America’s Parade” – is making its way to the West Coast.

On Nov. 11, Los Angeles will host its first “America’s Parade” while New York City will celebrate its 97th. The Veterans Day parade on both coasts will commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11 with special recognition to post-9/11 veterans and first responders, and it will honor the 25th anniversary of Desert Storm.

“America’s Parade: New York City” will start at approximately 11:15 a.m. EST on Friday, Nov. 11. The more than 20,000 participants will march up Fifth Avenue from 26th Street to 52nd Street; total distance is 1.2 miles. The parade is preceded by an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. in Madison Square Park (24th Street and Fifth Avenue) and is concluded with a wreath-laying ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Eternal Light Monument.

Additional information about “America’s Parade: New York City” can be found at www.americasparade.org.

“America’s Parade: Los Angeles” will start at 11 a.m. PST on the West L.A. Veterans Affairs Campus; distance will be about 1 mile. The L.A. Veterans Day parade is presented by The American Legion, the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and by the United War Veterans Council. For more information visit www.americasparade.org/LA.

Details will be provided in the coming weeks on how American Legion posts and Legion family members can participate in both parades.