Here is every Veterans Day parade, ceremony and salute across Alabama

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November 10, 2026

Alabama Veterans Day — (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Ken Johnson/Released)

Veterans Day is an Alabama invention, and on Wednesday the state that gave America the holiday will fill its downtowns, courthouse squares and the lawns beside the USS Alabama to honor the men and women who wore the uniform.

Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran from Birmingham, organized the nation’s first Veterans Day parade in his hometown in 1947. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the holiday into law in 1954. President Ronald Reagan honored Weeks at the White House in 1982 and called him the “Father of Veterans Day.” Weeks led the Birmingham parade every year until his death in 1985.

Birmingham’s parade marches for the 79th time on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also named Mobile and Madison County official Veterans Day Regional Sites for 2026, two of 48 in the country.

Kenneth Cole, deputy commanding general of the Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker, spoke at the post’s Veterans Day ceremony on Monday.

“Here in the Wiregrass, veterans are our neighbors, our coworkers and our friends,” Cole said.

Here is where Alabama will salute this week.

Birmingham

79th National Veterans Day Awards Dinner — Tuesday, Boutwell Auditorium. Reception at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. Tickets required.
79th National Veterans Day Parade — Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., downtown Birmingham, rain or shine. The route starts at 18th Street and Ninth Avenue North, loops through downtown past City Hall and ends at 19th Street and 10th Avenue North. This year’s theme is “Salute to the First 250 Years of Veterans.” Free. Alabama Public Television will carry it live. Details at nationalveteransday.org.
Birmingham Zoo — Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission for veterans, active and retired military and up to five dependents with valid ID.
Vulcan Park and Museum — Wednesday. Free admission for veterans and military families.
UAB Veterans Day 5K — Saturday, 8 a.m., Railroad Park. Proceeds support emergency funds for student veterans.

Huntsville and North Alabama

Huntsville Veterans Day Dinner — Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Von Braun Center Saturn Ballroom. The evening honors the new Madison County Hall of Heroes inductees and the Huntsville Veteran of the Year.
Huntsville Veterans Day Breakfast — Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., the Roundhouse at Veterans Memorial Park. Free for veterans.
Pre-parade show — Wednesday, 10 a.m., 200 Monroe Street in front of Veterans Memorial Park. The 60-piece Huntsville Concert Band plays patriotic favorites.
Huntsville Veterans Day Parade — Wednesday, 11 a.m., downtown Huntsville on a new route, with displays and festivities in Big Spring Park afterward. Street closures start at 8 a.m. and the full route closes at 10:30 a.m. Map at the organizers’ site.
Athens-Limestone County Veterans Day Parade — Wednesday, 11 a.m. AMVETS Post 21 leads the parade from Athens High School through downtown to the Athens-Limestone Public Library.
Athens Veterans Appreciation Luncheon — Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives, 114 West Pryor Street. Retired U.S. Army Col. Steve A. Erickson is the guest speaker.
Tuscumbia Veterans Day Parade — Wednesday, 10 a.m., downtown Tuscumbia. American Legion Post 31 organizes the parade.
Florence-Lauderdale Veterans Day Ceremony — Wednesday, 11 a.m., Veterans Memorial Park, 301 Veterans Park Drive. Seating is limited. Bring a lawn chair.

Mobile & the Gulf Coast

Flag Raising Ceremony — Wednesday, 7 a.m., Vietnam Veterans Memorial at USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. Free.
Mobile Veterans Day Parade — Wednesday, 10 a.m., downtown Mobile. For the first time, the parade will have throws. Schedule at the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Commission.
Veterans Day Luncheon — Wednesday afternoon, Fort Whiting Armory.
Veterans Day Celebration and Parade of Flags — Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., Battleship Memorial Park. Fourth-graders from Mobile and Baldwin counties carry the flags. The program includes the Veterans Day Essay Contest winners and a keynote from the Distinguished Young Woman of the Year. Free.
Mobile Pops Veterans Day Concert — Wednesday, 7 p.m., Medal of Honor Aircraft Pavilion at Battleship Memorial Park. The band plays each service song and recognizes the veterans in the crowd. Free.
Fairhope Sunset Prayer Service — Wednesday, 4:45 p.m., the Veterans Memorial at Henry George Park. Free.
Orange Beach Veterans Tribute Songwriters’ Concert — Wednesday, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach. Nashville songwriters perform songs they wrote with veterans. Tickets are $15.

Tuscaloosa and West Alabama

Tuscaloosa Veterans Day Program — Wednesday, 10 a.m., Veterans Memorial Park, 1701 McFarland Boulevard East. The keynote speaker is retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Charles H. Gailes Jr., a Tuscaloosa native who commanded the National Guard task force sent to the city after the April 27, 2011 tornadoes. Free. Weather updates at tcpara.org.
Tuscaloosa Memorial Park Cemetery ceremony — Friday, 10 a.m., 5434 Old Birmingham Highway. Wreath laying, a 21-gun salute and Taps. Army JROTC cadets will place flags on veterans’ graves. Free.

Brian Butler, chairman of the Veterans Memorial Park Association in Tuscaloosa, said the day belongs to the men and women “whose service and sacrifice have helped protect our freedoms.”

East Alabama

Calhoun County Veterans Day Parade — Wednesday, 2 p.m., Noble Street in downtown Anniston. Free. Details from Main Street Anniston.
Auburn Veterans Day Ceremony — Wednesday, 10 a.m., Auburn Veterans Memorial Monument at Ross Street and Glenn Avenue. U.S. Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Tommy Vickers is the speaker. A reception follows at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, 714 East Glenn Avenue.
Opelika Veterans Breakfast and Program — Saturday, 8 a.m. breakfast and 9 a.m. program, First Baptist Church Opelika’s 3:16 Center.
Opelika Veterans Parade — Saturday, 10:30 a.m., downtown Opelika. Afterward, the public can meet Medal of Honor recipients at the Bottling Plant Event Center. Details at opelika-al.gov/freedomfest.

Montgomery

Montgomery Veterans Day Celebration and Parade — Saturday at a new location, the Central Alabama Montgomery VA Clinic, 8105 Veterans Way off Chantilly Parkway. Parade at 10 a.m., resource fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Veterans Day ceremony at 1 p.m. The 151st Army National Guard Band will perform. Venue access closes at 9:30 a.m. Details at montgomeryal.gov/veterans.

The Wiregrass

Veterans Memorial Car Show — Wednesday, Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home, 552 Veterans Parkway in Enterprise. Music, food trucks and a Veterans Choice Award. Proceeds benefit the Veterans Benevolent Fund.

Did we miss any? Email us [email protected]!