Long Beach’s annual Veterans Day Celebration will return to Houghton Park this weekend.
The free, family-friendly event celebrates and honors veterans and those currently serving in the U.S. military with a recognition ceremony, live entertainment, food and more.
“Veterans Day serves as a reminder that our freedoms were secured through courage, sacrifice and service,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “As we gather at Houghton Park to honor our veterans and active military service members, we celebrate not only their bravery but the enduring spirit of community that unites our city.”
The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at Houghton Park, 6301 Myrtle Ave.
Veterans and attendees walk around the various booths set up for the dual Veteran’s Day and Beach Street events at Houghton Park in Long Beach on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
A man cycles past a military helicopter display during the dual Veteran’s Day and Beach Street events at Houghton Park in Long Beach on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
Members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association talk at the dual Veteran’s Day and Beach Street events at Houghton Park in Long Beach on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
The Satin Dollz perform for veterans and attendees at the dual Veteran’s Day and Beach Street events at Houghton Park in Long Beach on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
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Veterans and attendees walk around the various booths set up for the dual Veteran’s Day and Beach Street events at Houghton Park in Long Beach on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo by Raphael Richardson, Contributing Photographer)
This year’s celebration will offer something for everyone, including a veterans and community resources fair with more than 25 participating organizations, live entertainment, food trucks, a beer garden, a kids zone, a bootcamp-style obstacle course, and flyovers with historic aircraft, according to a press release. The Department of Health and Human Services will also offer flu shots.
“Veterans remind us what service truly means,” Ninth District Councilmember Joni Ricks-Oddie said in a statement. “Here in North Long Beach, we’re proud to have so many veterans who continue to serve and strengthen our community. Their courage and commitment to something greater than themselves reflect the best of who we are, and it’s an honor to celebrate them today.”
The Veterans Day Celebration is presented by the city in partnership with the Office of Veterans Support, the Long Beach Veterans Commission and the Long Beach Veterans Day Committee, according to the press release.
For more information about the event, visit longbeach.gov/veteransday.