Parades, Flyovers, & a Proper Salute!
Texas is marking Veterans Day with three very different kinds of gatherings, from a downtown Houston parade to a 56-year Universal City tradition and a Waxahachie celebration ending with a military-style flyover.
Choose Your Kind of Salute
Houston gets started Wednesday, Nov. 11, with the Houston Salutes American Heroes Veterans Day Celebration at City Hall. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m., followed by a moment of silence at exactly 11 a.m., marking the hour the World War I armistice took effect.
At 11:30 a.m., the American Heroes Parade steps off at Dallas and Bagby, then travels along Dallas, Louisiana, Walker, Smith and Lamar before ending back near Bagby. Veterans organizations, ROTC units, marching bands and community supporters will fill the route.
Drivers should plan around downtown closures. Allen Parkway between Taft and Bagby begins closing at 9 a.m., with additional Bagby closures starting at 9:45 a.m. Arriving early and walking a few blocks will be considerably easier than trying to negotiate the route once the parade is moving.
Three days later, the 56th Universal City Veterans Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. More than 40 groups, including military organizations, schools, first responders and community groups, will travel Pat Booker Road from Universal City Boulevard to Byrd Boulevard.
Pat Booker Road closes at 10 a.m., and grandstand seating is available at Randolph Plaza, 934 Pat Booker Road. Spectators may also watch from elsewhere along the route.
Music, Remembrance and One Final Pass Overhead
That same morning, the 26th Ellis County Veterans Celebration runs from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Waxahachie Civic Center. Admission is free.
The program brings together music, remembrance and recognition of veterans and military families, along with tributes tied to America’s 250th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of 9/11. A wreath-laying ceremony at the Ellis County Veterans Memorial is also part of the observance, with a military-style flyover planned as the closing salute.
The three events make the same point in very different ways. Houston offers the formal ceremony and downtown procession. Universal City leans into a community parade that has lasted more than five decades. Waxahachie builds its morning around reflection, music and a memorable finish overhead.
A proper salute does not have to be complicated. Sometimes showing up, standing still for a moment and making room for the people being honored is enough.
Looking for organizations supporting communities across Texas? Explore community and business organizations through the Guide to Texas directory at https://www.guidetotx.com/community-organizations.
