The 107th NYC Veterans Day Parade steps off at 12:30 p.m. on Veterans Day 2026, Wednesday, November 11, from Fifth Avenue at 26th Street. NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Captain Suni Williams serves as Grand Marshal, and the march takes place in the year the United States marks its 250th birthday.
Key Takeaways
- The United War Veterans Council named Suni Williams Grand Marshal on October 13, 2026, the 251st anniversary of the U.S. Navy.
- Williams was named for the 2025 parade but was unable to attend.
- U.S. Navy veteran Vicki Bello, who served in the Naval Reserve at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx, is the 2026 Honorary Marshal.
- The annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony begins at 10:55 a.m. in Madison Square Park, ahead of the parade.
- A group of Vietnam veterans revived the United War Veterans Council in 1985 to save the parade from ending.
Suni Williams Returns to Lead the Parade After Missing 2025
Suni Williams arrives on Fifth Avenue one year later than planned. The United War Veterans Council, which produces the parade, had chosen Williams for top honors in 2025, but she was unable to take part. The council renewed the invitation this fall and announced her selection on the U.S. Navy’s 251st birthday, a fitting date for a retired Navy captain who went on to fly several space missions with NASA.
Williams called the role an incredible honor and said she looked forward to marching alongside fellow veterans. Her return gives the 2026 parade something few editions carry: a Grand Marshal whose story already belongs to the event’s recent history.
The 107th Parade Lands Inside America’s 250th Anniversary Year
The NYC Veterans Day Parade has already leaned into the country’s semiquincentennial. The 2025 parade was billed as the kickoff of America’s 250th anniversary celebration and honored the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, all founded in 1775.
The 2026 parade completes that arc. Mark Otto, President and Executive Director of the United War Veterans Council and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, described Williams as leading the march “on the 250th birthday of the United States of America.” Where 2025 opened the anniversary, the 107th edition steps off inside the anniversary year itself, roughly four months after the July 4 milestone. New York closes out a season of anniversaries this fall, coming just days after the city marked 50 years since the marathon first crossed all five boroughs.
Vietnam Veterans Rescued the Parade in 1985
Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
The United War Veterans Council traces its lineage to groups founded by veterans of the Spanish-American War, which carried forward traditions from veterans of the Revolution and the War of 1812. The modern council took shape in 1985, when Vietnam veterans revived it to rescue a parade that was close to disappearing.
Four decades later, the United War Veterans Council reports that the parade draws tens of thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators. Its typical lineup includes more than 280 marching units, over 20,000 marchers, more than 25 floats, and upward of 150 vehicles. Leadership has also passed to a new generation, with Iraq, Afghanistan, and post-9/11 veterans now guiding the organization.
Honorary Marshal Vicki Bello Brings a Bronx Connection
Vicki Bello’s service began the same year the parade was saved. A native New Yorker, Bello enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1985 and served on active duty as a radioman at commands that included Adak, Alaska, and Ford Island, Hawaii. After leaving active duty in 1989, she spent two more years in the Naval Reserve at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx before her honorable discharge.
Bello now manages community and veterans programs for the Theatre Development Fund. Otto noted that her commitment did not end with her military service and that her work helps veterans experience the power of theater and the arts.
The Meaning of Veterans Day Traces Back to Armistice Day
Veterans Day grew out of the armistice that halted fighting in World War I on November 11, 1918. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day in November 1919. An act approved on May 13, 1938, made November 11 a legal holiday dedicated to world peace.
After World War II and the Korean War, veterans service organizations urged Congress to broaden the holiday. Lawmakers replaced “Armistice” with “Veterans,” and the change took effect on June 1, 1954, turning November 11 into a day honoring American veterans of all wars. The NYC Veterans Day Parade carries that broader meaning, with participants from every service branch alongside service organizations, youth cadets, marching bands, and vintage vehicles.
Planning a Visit to the Parade on a Wednesday
The midweek date shapes the day for spectators. The Wreath-Laying Ceremony at 10:55 a.m. in Madison Square Park brings together veteran representatives, public officials, foreign allies, and senior military leaders before the 12:30 p.m. step-off. The parade then moves north on Fifth Avenue. The city typically releases block-by-block street closures in the days before the event, so visitors planning around work or school schedules should check official city traffic updates before heading to Midtown.
FAQs
When Is Veterans Day 2026?
Veterans Day 2026 falls on Wednesday, November 11. The holiday is observed on November 11 every year, whatever day of the week it lands on.
What Time Does the NYC Veterans Day Parade Start?
The parade steps off at 12:30 p.m. from Fifth Avenue at 26th Street. The Wreath-Laying Ceremony in Madison Square Park begins earlier, at 10:55 a.m.
Who Is the Grand Marshal of the 2026 NYC Veterans Day Parade?
NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Navy Captain Suni Williams is the 2026 Grand Marshal. U.S. Navy veteran Vicki Bello serves as Honorary Marshal.
Is Veterans Day a National Holiday?
Yes. An act approved in 1938 made November 11 a legal holiday known as Armistice Day, and Congress renamed it Veterans Day in 1954 to honor veterans of all wars.
Who Organizes the NYC Veterans Day Parade?
The United War Veterans Council produces the parade each year. Vietnam veterans revived the organization in 1985 to keep the parade from ending.
