Annually in November, the nation pauses to pay respect to those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, protecting the freedoms we hold dear. This year is no different, and locally parades and ceremonies honoring veterans will be held territory-wide.
The Office of Veterans Affairs, which is hosting the events, kicked off with a parade and ceremony on Sunday on St. John. Parades are also scheduled for St. Thomas and St. Croix on Saturday. Each event will also honor a veteran, Patrick Farrell, director of the Office of Veterans Affairs, said in a released statement.
On St. John, the parade was held in Cruz Bay, and an official ceremony took place at the bandstand immediately after.
Saturday’s parade will kick off at 9 a.m. in Frederiksted, St. Croix, and at 3 p.m. on Veterans Drive on St. Thomas, the release stated.
On St. Croix, the procession will begin at the Frederiksted Post Office. Participants will make a right onto King Street, continue down King Street, and make a left in front of the Buddhoe Park and will continue down Strand Street.
All marching units will proceed past the reviewing stand, past the Verne I. Richards Veterans Memorial Park, and continue to the parking lot across the street from Frederiksted Health Care, Inc. for dismissal.
The official ceremony will be held on the platform at the Verne I. Richards Veterans Memorial Park on Strand Street immediately after.
On St. Thomas, parade participants will assemble, and the procession will start at the Emile Griffith Park’s parking lot. The group will proceed down Veterans Drive, past the V.I. Legislature to the reviewing stand.
The parade will make a left at the Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Complex before turning into the nearby Fort Christian parking lot for dismissal. The official ceremony will be held on the Veterans Drive promenade immediately after, the release stated.
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