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Thousands march in Auburn for 61st annual Veterans Day Parade
Hundreds of spectators gathered along Main Street in downtown Auburn on Saturday morning to honor military service members during the 61st annual City of Auburn Veterans Parade and Observance. Auburn has hosted the celebration since 1965, and organizers consider the gathering one of the largest parades of its kind in the United States.
AUBURN, Wash. - Hundreds of spectators gathered along Main Street in downtown Auburn on Saturday morning to honor military service members during the 61st annual City of Auburn Veterans Parade and Observance.
Auburn has hosted the celebration since 1965, and organizers consider the gathering one of the largest parades of its kind in the United States.
A Decades-Long Tradition
The backstory:
Organizers reported that approximately 4,000 people took part in the event across 120 unique entries.
Veterans carried flags representing each branch of the military as spectators of all ages lined the route. The procession featured military units, veteran groups, community organizations, classic and modern vehicles, motorcycles, and high school marching bands.
Nicole Bendickson, whose daughter took part in the parade, emphasized the importance of sharing the event with the next generation.
"I'm married to a veteran, so this is really special so the kids can see what the soldiers did for our country," Bendickson said.
Honoring Fallen Comrades
Dig deeper:
The parade brought together service members from across generations, including both active-duty personnel and veterans reflecting on the cost of freedom.
Jeremy Robinson, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, said his favorite aspect of the day is gathering with family alongside fellow service members.
"I believe that anyone who has sacrificed themselves for a greater cause is a huge accomplishment for this country," Robinson said. "The freedom in this country and the things that we have are definitely not free. They were paid by the blood of fallen Marines and soldiers and sailors. I’ve had friends and people that I know who have lost their lives in combat."
As participants marched through the downtown corridor, photos of fallen service members were displayed to honor their memory, offering attendees a poignant moment of reflection on the sacrifices made in defense of the nation.
The Source: Information for this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle's Shirah Matsuzawa, who attended the parade in Auburn and spoke with attendees.
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