Albany’s Veterans Day Parade is marching back

City leaders and the Joint Veterans Committee said the parade will step off at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, which is Veterans Day, the day commemorating the armistice ending World War I in 1918.

“After being forced to limit last year’s gathering to a small wreath-laying during the height of the ongoing pandemic, the city of Albany is honored to once again host this important event to recognize our veterans and celebrate their service to our nation,” Sheehan stated.

The route begins at Ontario Street and Central Avenue. Participants will march east on Central Avenue, then east on Washington Avenue, ending at the corner of Washington Avenue and Hawk Street, east of the State Education Building. The building’s steps will be the reviewing stand.

In the event of severe weather, a ceremony will be in City Hall’s rotunda. Masks will be required there if the event goes indoors.

The American Gold Star Mothers and Families will lay a wreath at Our Lady of Peace in Memorial Grove at New Scotland and South Lake avenues at 9:30 a.m., before the parade.

The parade committee, made up of local veteran groups, will this year honor the veterans of the Global War on Terrorism, Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Any of these veterans marching this year will be leading the parade along with the Gold Star Families at the request of the American Gold Star Mothers and Families.

“We must remember that veterans of conflicts have a story to tell, many aren’t ready to tell it yet, but when they open up and talk – we must listen and support them,” said U.S. Army 1SG (retired) Mark Rosenzweig, Joint Veterans Committee chairman.