NC Veterans Day Parade returning to downtown Wilmington

The parade's mission is to provide a venue to bring together and honor all U.S. military veterans each year.

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Veterans day is approaching, and the Southeast North Carolina (SENC) Veterans Day Parade will return this year to downtown Wilmington.

In conjunction with the New Hanover Veterans Council, the 2022 SENC Veterans Day Parade will be held to provide a place to bring together and to honor all U.S. military veterans.

The celebration and parade will be held on Saturday, November 12th.

The event will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the intersection of 3rd and Hanover Streets and run south along 3rd Street.

It will end around 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of 3rd and Market Streets.

Parade participants will then turn right onto Market Street and disburse at the intersection of 2nd and Market Streets.

The city will block off 2nd Street between Market and Orange Streets for the Celebration and Information Fair, which begins at 11:00 a.m. with the parade and will go on until approximately 2:30 p.m.

Both the parade and Information Fair are free to attend for all authorized participants.

Any Veteran can march in the parade or ride in one of the vehicles.

In attendance, there will be more than a dozen marching bands including the East Carolina University marching band, which is expected to bring out ECU Pirates, alumni, and fans.

Among the marching bands will be several pipe and drum bands, including the Wilmington Police Department.

On the SENC Veterans Day Parade website, the organization states, “We want all Veterans to participate, and as a special honor, we are making our grand marshals of the parade this year Vietnam Veterans.”

Groups with services to offer Veterans can set up tables and talk to Veterans, their families, and supporters.

There will be two food trucks, an Italian Ice cart and musical performances by two different bands.

Also, an art show will take place at the Hannah Block Historic USO building at 2nd and Orange Streets to benefit mental health services for Veterans.

A large replica of the Battleship North Carolina will be on display during the celebration, and children donating $1 to the “Save the BB55 Battleship Replica Fund” will receive an I.D. card, making them an Honorary Admiral of the BB55.