City's Veterans Day Parade returns Sunday afternoon

Nov. 10—HIGH POINT — If Tim Gulledge has his way, only patriotism will reign on this parade.

After a three-year absence, the High Point Veterans Day Parade will return Sunday afternoon, and Gulledge — the parade organizer and a Marine Corps veteran — hopes to see a large, enthusiastic, red-white-and-blue crowd of spectators lining Main Street downtown.

"We've been getting a lot of response on social media, with people saying they're coming," Gulledge says. "People are saying, 'We're so glad you guys are doing this again,' so we're optimistic that it's going to be a good crowd."

The parade will begin at 3 p.m. and will follow the traditional parade route along Main Street, from the Russell Avenue intersection north to the conclusion at Qubein Avenue.

According to Gulledge, about 75 entries have been confirmed for the parade, including color guards, marching bands, cadets from Oak Ridge Military Academy, high-school ROTC units, veterans' motorcycle groups, military vehicles and more.

Gulledge is leading a team of volunteers from American Legion Post 87 in High Point and VFW Post 9899 in Archdale to bring back the city's annual parade, which was first held in 1984. The parade was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic and hasn't been held since.

Next year, a 10-person parade committee will be formed to keep the tradition going, Gulledge said.

"We just feel like it's important for young people to understand what Veterans Day is and what it stands for, and what it took to maintain some of the freedoms we have today," he said. "The government decided to have this day for veterans, so let's take the day and remember what it's for — honoring those that served and sacrificed."

jtomlin@hpenews.com — 336-888-3579