Veterans Day 2023: Where to go to celebrate in the Mid-Valley
Veterans Day is Saturday, Nov. 11, the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Note the name of the holiday includes an "s" but no apostrophe because it is a day for honoring all veterans, not a day that "belongs" to veterans. Veterans Day also should not be confused with Memorial Day, observed the last Monday in May.
Memorial Day is for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country. While those who died also are remembered on the November holiday, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service and sacrifices.
Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day. It was first commemorated at the end of World War I in 1918 when the Allies and Germans signed the Armistice, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday in 1938. The name was changed in 1954 to Veterans Day to honor those who have served in subsequent wars or during peacetime.
In Oregon, celebrating Veterans Day means thanking more than 246,000 men and nearly 26,000 women across the state. More than one-third of the state's overall veteran population served during the Vietnam era, according to the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Here are some of the events happening around the Mid-Valley:
Nov. 11 ceremony at the state Capitol
The Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs hosts a Statewide Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, across from the Oregon State Capitol in Salem.
The celebration will honor Oregon veterans of all eras and be held at Oregon State Capitol Park on Court Street NE.
The ceremony will feature remarks by dignitaries and special guests and ceremonial elements, including the presenting of the color guard, singing of the National Anthem, laying of the wreath and playing of "Taps."
The keynote speaker will be Doug Grafe, Gov. Tina Kotek's wildfire and emergency response advisor.
The event is open to the public with uncovered seating provided. Organizers remind attendees to plan accordingly for the weather. For those unable to attend, the event will be livestreamed on ODVA's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/odvavet.
Nov. 11 parade in Albany
The 72nd annual Linn County Veterans Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, in Albany.
Thousands of spectators line the streets of downtown Albany for the event, so staking out a place to stand or sit along the route is key. Organizers call it the largest Veterans Day Parade west of the Mississippi.
The 2023 parade starts on Pacific Boulevard and travels down the overpass ramp into downtown and onto Lyon Street. From Lyon, it takes a left on Second Avenue until Ferry Street, where it again turns left and heads to the Linn County Courthouse.
A memorial service before the parade is at 8:30 a.m. at Timber Linn Memorial Park, 900 Price Rd SE.
Nov. 11-12 concerts at Willamette
The Willamette Master Chorus host its annual Veterans Day Concerts at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 11 and Nov. 12, at Smith Auditorium on the Willamette University campus.
Tickets are $27 each. Veterans and Gold Star parents and spouses can get free tickets by calling the Willamette Master Chorus Business Office, 503-580-0406.
Marilyn Keller, a jazz singer from Portland, will join Willamette Master Chorus as a guest artist along with the annual High School Honor Choir.
The concerts will include a review of popular music from the 1970s and 1980s, including music by Fleetwood Mac, Burt Bacharach and more. Patriotic music, including national and military anthems, also will be sung.
Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at clynn@statesmanjournal.com, and follow her work on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: 2023 Veterans Day events in the Mid-Valley
