NYC Veterans Day Parade Will Shut Down Midtown Manhattan

Metro

By Priscilla DeGregory And Golden Vaughn

Several streets in Manhattan will be closed for hours Saturday morning for the 104th Big Apple Veterans Day Parade, the largest of its kind in the country.

The mile-long parade, honoring the men and women who have served our country, is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until 12:30 p.m.

This year’s commemoration will include 20,000 demonstrators, 25 floats, more than 150 vehicles and 280 marching units and will take place along Fifth Avenue from 26th Street to 47th Street, according to the parade website.

The event can be viewed live on WABC and broadcast live on Saturday.

The parade will be led this year by Grand Marshal Michael Linnington, an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran who served in the Army for 35 years, holding positions including deputy commanding general at Fort Benning, Ga., and Commandant of Cadets at West Point and Kabul, Afghanistan.

He is also CEO of the Wounded Warrior Project.

Locals and tourists can expect closures along the route, including where the parade will form at 24th and 25th Streets between Sixth and Fifth Avenues; 26th to 29th Street between Sixth and Madison avenues; Fifth Avenue between 23rd Street and 26th Street; Broadway between 23rd Street and 26th Street; and along the route, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

There may also be traffic disruptions around 45th Street between Madison and Sixth Avenue.

Before the parade, select marchers and community representatives will lead a procession of wreaths to the Eternal Light Memorial in Madison Square Park.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new proclamation Friday that November will now be Veterans Month in the Empire State.

She also announced new initiatives, including a grant program to improve services to veterans across the state.

New Yorkers can watch as 16 state landmarks, including One World Trade Center and Niagara Falls, will be illuminated with green lights Friday evening as part of Operation Green Light, which recognizes veterans and current and former military personnel, the governor’s office announced. .

“Our veterans have given so much to our nation, and it is our duty to ensure they receive the care and recognition they have deserved,” Hochul said in a statement Friday. “These partnerships and programs demonstrate New York’s continued dedication to our heroes who serve both at home and abroad. »