Veterans Day 2018 will be on Sunday, November 11th, 2018 and designated as a Federal Holiday on Monday, November 12th, 2018. As a federal holiday Veterans Day is typically observed on November 11th every year. However, if it occurs on a Sunday then the following Monday is designated as the Federal holiday, and if it occurs on a Saturday then either Saturday or Friday may be designated.
In times when the observance falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is designated as the Federal holiday. For years when the 11th is on a Saturday, either Friday or Saturday may be designated as the Federal recognition of Veterans Day.
When the Federal holiday and November 11th dates are different, Veterans Day activities may take place on both days; many activities are often scheduled the weekend leading up to Veterans Day even during years when both dates match.
2018 marks the Centennial Commemoration of the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. The theme for the 2018 Veterans Day Poster is: “The War to End All Wars” and features a poppy and barbed wire.
Veterans Day Events
America’s Parade – New York, NY
The parade will occur on Friday, November 11 (Veterans Day), rain or shine. It starts at approximately 11:15 AM (at the conclusion of the Opening Ceremony, see below) and concludes around 3:30pm.
Local Veterans Day Ceremonies & Parades
There are many local Veterans Day ceremonies and parades. Check your local news sites or Veterans organizations and charities for more information.
National Veterans Day Ceremony – Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery . The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries.
New York City Parade on November 11, 2018.
Emporia, Kansas “Founding City” Veterans Day Parade on November 10, 2018 – The “official founding city of Veterans Day” (see below), Emporia, Kansas,Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 10, at 9:30 am.
Orange County, CA – There are many events throughout Orange County to celebrate Veterans Day such as the Field of Valor which displays a field of 1,776 American Flags dedicated to veterans along with their story.
VA National Cemeteries by State – Multiple cities
This listing is in alphabetic order by state.
Veterans Day Run – Multiple Cities
The National Veterans Day Run seeks to provide a platform of appreciation for those that have served or are currently serving our Country.
Honor veterans in Washington, D.C. by visiting national monuments.
About Veterans Day
Veterans Day is observed every year on November 11th. Veterans Day evolved from Armistice Day, which was proclaimed in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson. Armistice is when warring parties agree to stop fighting; Armistice Day recognizes the end of World War One when hostilities ceased on November 11th at 11 A.M, 1918 (11th hour, of the 11th, of the 11th month).
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs official site on November 11th, 1947 Raymond Weeks, a World War II veteran, organized a “National Veterans Day” parade in Birmingham, Alabama to recognize veterans of all wars.
This celebration may have helped influence Congress to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954 to recognize Veterans of all U.S. wars.
Was the work of Raymond Weeks the first “official” or semi-official Veterans Day? The residents of Emporia, Kansas might disagree. According to the Emporia Conventional and Visitor Bureau official site, “In 1953 Veterans Day was organized and celebrated in Emporia, Kansas; one year prior to the first nationwide observance on November 11, 1954.”
President Dwight D. Eisenhower made November 11 the official national observance of Veterans Day after Kansas Congressman Ed Rees (who was from Emporia) proposed the bill in Congress to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
The observance wasn’t always held on the 11th of the month; History.com reports that decades later in 1968, legislation known as the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress, moving Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October as of 1971. This didn’t last long; in 1975 President Gerald Ford returned the observance to November 11, due at least in part to the historic nature of the date.
See our Veterans Day Facts infographic.
Difference Between Veterans Day and Memorial Day
Memorial Day is for remembering and honoring military personnel who dies in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of a wound sustained in battle.
Veterans Day is intended to thank all those who honorably served in the military – in war time or peace time.
Anthem Veterans Memorial: A Unique Place to Visit on Veterans Day
The Anthem Veterans Memorial has five pillars that represent the five branches of the United States military. They are staggered in size and the military seal placements on each pillar are based upon the Department of Defense prescribed precedence, ranging from the United States Army, the United States Marine Corp, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, and the United States Coast Guard.
On Veterans Day as at precisely 11:11 AM on Veterans Day, November 11th, the sun’s rays will pass through each of the five pillars’ elliptical openings to illuminate a glass mosaic medallion of the Great Seal of the United States.