Cub Scout Troop 100 member Awin Schumacher, 8, joins in a happy Veterans Day chant during the 15th annual Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 8, 2014 on North Tejon Street. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette (Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette)
The 16th annual Veterans Day Parade will honor the 75,000 military veterans who live in Colorado Springs.
The free event is Saturday along Tejon Street downtown.
“We welcome everybody to come out and show support,” says Melanie Abate, executive assistant of the parade. “It’s a great patriotic event for everyone to cheer our veterans on.”
About 40,000 spectators showed up last year to watch 3,000 people march in the parade. Almost 100 military or vet-themed entries are lined up to participate this year, including VFW Posts, American Legions, a war dog memorial group, honor guard and representatives from local Air Force and Army bases and headquarters and the Air Force Academy.
This year’s theme, “Honoring the Military Family – It Takes a Team,” features families from each branch of the military as grand marshals of the parade.
For the first time, this year’s event is dedicated to an individual – Diana Ceciliani, who founded the parade in 2000 and served as executive secretary for a decade. She died last year.
“With the number of military vets we have here in this community,” says Abate, “it’s so important for us to show them our support.”
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10 a.m. Saturday, begins at St. Vrain Street, south on Tejon Street, ends at Vermijo Avenue, free; 282-3862, csvets parade.org.
Cub Scout Troop 100 member Awin Schumacher, 8, joins in a happy Veterans Day chant during the 15th annual Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 8, 2014 on North Tejon Street. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette (Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette)Army Sgt. Frederick Hall holds an American flag in position as he joins the Flight of Flags in kicking off the start of the 15th annual Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 8, 2014 on North Tejon Street. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette (Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette)Air Force veteran Tracy Ross salutes as active duty military march in the 15th annual Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 8, 2014 on North Tejon Street. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette (Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette)Members of the Association of Living History march through downtown as they join almost 100 groups parading down North Tejon Street for the 15th annual Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 8, 2014. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette (Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette)Angelica Poe-Clark, 6, dances in front of the Widefield Navy JROTC during the 15th annual Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 8, 2014 on North Tejon Street. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette (Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette)Members of the School District 20 Air Force JROTC march through downtown during the 15th annual Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 8, 2014. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette (Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette)
