By John Basche

Officially November 11 this year, veterans organizations around Douglas County and the Denver metro area are hosting a number of events in observance and remembrance to honor those who have served in our armed forces. While for many of us Veterans Day has always been marked by a parade in our local community, this year in Colorado there are a few unique celebrations that allow us to support the many veterans and organizations that call Colorado home.

Douglas County Veterans Day Tribute
Close to home, for those looking to show our gratitude to local community veterans for their service, the Douglas County Veterans Monument Foundation along with the Douglas County Office of Veterans Affairs will be hosting a Veteran’s Day Tribute on Saturday, November 11 at 11a.m. at Fourth and Wilcox at the Douglas County Veterans Monument Plaza in downtown Castle Rock. This program will feature a special remembrance and will honor all veterans past and present with a keynote address from George Brauchler, district attorney, 18th Judicial District and member of the Colorado National Guard.

Denver Civic Center – Veterans Day Parade
For those looking to get their little ones outside and on their shoulders for a chance to see some traditional military parade pageantry, the Colorado Veterans Project will be sponsoring a parade and festival in downtown Denver at 10 a.m. on the morning of November 11. Following a semi-circuitous route down Colfax and around the Civic Center, Denver Library and Denver Art Museum complex, the parade route through nearby streets will provide many vantage points to catch this year’s themed procession of “Wars throughout our Nation’s history.” Presented in historic serials, the parade will march through the streets of Denver with historic representations from each individual conflict from the American Revolutionary War through to present day service, with vintage era uniforms, vehicles and military memorabilia.

Veterans Day Festival
Immediately after the parade from noon to 3:30 p.m., family and friends can follow the parade veterans over to Civic Center Park for a free Veterans Day Festival. Organized as a family-oriented afternoon where participants can continue to show their appreciation for our nation’s heroes, the festival will be set up fairgrounds style with displays of military vehicles, historic military displays, and veterans group booths. In addition, supporting activities like a car show area, food trucks and Veterans Day corporate sponsored booths will be available to make the event even more enjoyable for younger patriots attending.

Veterans Day 5K/10K – City Park, Denver
For those looking to acknowledge our veteran heroes in a more active way, there will be a 5K/10K run at City Park on November 5 at 8 a.m. Also, organized by the Colorado Veterans Project, the “Denver Run for Veterans Day” is open to runners, walkers and yes, even those canine family members looking to express their patriotic paws in support of our veterans. Hosted by Denver Mayor Hancock, this charity run features the unique qualification that 100 percent of all registration fees and any donations will go directly to the Colorado Veterans Project charity, an organization committed to hosting events that raise funds and awareness for veterans and veteran’s support organizations.

For more information on supporting local Douglas County veterans efforts and events, visit www.douglasveterans.org or www.dcvmf.org. To learn more about the Veterans Day Parade and Festival or 5K in downtown Denver, visit www.denverveteransday.com.