Parades, ceremonies, breakfasts: Honor those who served at these Veterans Day events
Veterans Day is approaching and there are numerous events around the SouthCoast to honor those who have served in the Armed Forces.
U.S. veterans represent less than 10% of the total adult population, with around 19 million veterans living in the U.S. First called Armistice Day, Veterans Day was established May 13, 1938, as a legal holiday, to be held on Nov. 11. It began after World War I to remember the “war to end all wars,” when on Nov. 11, 1918, an armistice occurred in Europe.
Here is a listing of events to honor Veterans Day and salute local veterans in the SouthCoast:
Acushnet
16th Annual Flag Raising Ceremony: Nov. 11, 10 a.m., Acushnet Veterans Memorial Park, Pope Park, 256 Main St., Acushnet. The town of Acushnet will be celebrating its annual flag-raising ceremony with a wreath laying, Ford middle school vocal group, a bagpiper ensemble, and a USCG flyover. Coffee and doughnuts will be available.
Dartmouth
Dignified Ceremony: Nov. 11, 11 a.m., Dartmouth Veterans Memorial Grove, 628 Dartmouth St., Dartmouth. The Veterans Office and the Dartmouth Veterans Advisory Board will be honoring Dartmouth veterans with a dignified ceremony. Light refreshments are to be served afterward.
Fall River
Veteran's Day Rolling Parade and Ceremony: Nov. 11, 2 p.m., Veterans Memorial Bicentennial Park, 1 Brownell St.., Fall River. The procession will head east up President Avenue to North Park where the Bay State Band will be performing patriotic songs. It will then proceed up the hill to Highland Park, at the corner of President Avenue and Robeson St. to enjoy a performance by Swansea’s Case High Marching Band. The procession will continue up Elsbree Street where it will turn left to go to B.M.C. Durfee High School. The city’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony will begin at 3:30 p.m. in the atrium at the north entrance of the school.
Fairhaven
Veterans Day Parade: Nov. 11, 9 a.m., Main Street from Benoit Square south to Fairhaven High School. The annual parade to honor all veterans is followed by a brief ceremony, including raising the “Big Flag” in front of Fairhaven High School.
Marion
Veterans Day Ceremony: Nov. 11, 11 a.m., Old Landing Veteran’s Park on Front Street, Marion. Join the community to honor our veterans. The Sippican School Band led by Hannah Moore will perform selections of patriotic music.
New Bedford
Veterans Day Parade, Nov. 11, 11 a.m., at the intersection of Rockdale Avenue and Union Street (Buttonwood Park). The parade will march East on Union Street to County Street, turn left and head North on County Street to William Street, turn right onto William Street past City Hall and the reviewing stand which will be located on the right in front of the library located at the intersection of Pleasant and William streets. The approximate address for the end of the parade is 613 Pleasant St. This year’s parade is being put together in a joint effort between the New Bedford Veterans’ Advisory Board, the City of New Bedford, as well as the New Bedford Veterans’ Services Department. A Veteran’s Day service will be held at the reviewing stand following the conclusion of the parade. In the case of inclement weather, there will be a service at noon at the Fort Taber Community Center at Fort Taber Park, 1000A S. Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford.
Somerset
Veterans Day Breakfast and Ceremony: Nov. 11, 9 to 10:30 a.m., Congregational Christian Church, 1411 County St., Somerset. Volunteers will be cooking pancakes, eggs, sausages, and bacon for Somerset's military veterans, no registration is needed. After breakfast, a Veterans Day ceremony will be held at the World War II monument in front of the Somerset Public Library at 1464 County St.
Swansea
Veterans Meat Pie Supper: Friday, Nov. 3, 4 to 7 p.m., First Christian Congregational Church of Swansea, 1113 G.A.R. Highway, Swansea. The 16th annual Veterans Meat Pie Supper is a donation-only event with funds received benefiting Swansea veterans and their families in need. This meal consists of meat pie, potatoes, gravy, vegetables, rolls, and dessert.
Veterans Breakfast: Saturday, Nov. 4, 8:30 to 10 a.m., Christ Church, 57 Main St., Swansea. A free breakfast for Swansea veterans for connection, conversation, and friendship.
Veterans Day Ceremony: Nov. 11, 10 a.m., Swansea Veterans' Memorial Green, 101 Gardners Neck Road, Swansea. All are welcome to meet at the Veterans Memorial Green to pay tribute to all veterans. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held at the American Legion Post 303 on Ocean Grove Avenue. A traditional wreath placing and Color Guard will be followed by presentations, along with the winning essay from "What Veterans Day Means to Me" done at Case Junior High School.
Tiverton
Veterans Day Tribute: Nov. 11, 11 a.m., Tiverton Bicentennial Green, 1847 Main Road, Tiverton. The Tiverton Historical Society hosts its annual tribute to veterans at the WWI Doughboy memorial statue on the Tiverton Bicentennial Green by the old Stone Bridge next to Grinnell’s Beach.
Westport
Rucking For Veterans: Nov. 11, 7 a.m., the Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery, 417 Hixbridge Road, Westport. Rucking for Veterans is a group of veterans and civilians whose purpose is to bring awareness to and advocate for the prevention of Veteran Suicide. They ruck 22 miles in honor and in memory of our fallen service members while carrying the names of fallen comrades on yellow remembrance ribbons. For more event details and to register or donate towards this event go to http://www.ruckingforveterans.com/events.
Veterans Day Ceremony: Nov. 11, 10 a.m., 974 Main Road, Westport. The ceremony will take place at the Veterans Monument in the veterans section of Beech Grove Cemetery. This year’s keynote speaker is retired Massachusetts Trial Court Justice Joseph Macy, who served as an Army Infantry Officer in Vietnam. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Westport Middle High School. Any decision to move the ceremony will be made by Thursday, Nov. 9, and will be posted on the home page of the Veterans Services website at https://www.westport-ma.com/veterans-services.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Veterans Day ceremonies, parades, and breakfasts on the SouthCoast
