The annual Jacksonville Veterans Day Parade will take place – despite the pandemic.
The city has announced the parade will begin Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 11:01 a.m.
The parade will begin on Water Street in front of the Lofts at Jefferson Station. It will proceed east down Water Street and turn onto Laura Street, turn west down Adams Street and will continue west until the ending of the parade at Lee Street.
The parade will feature Mayor Lenny Curry, Sheriff Mike Williams, U.S. Army veteran Major General Maury Edmonds as the parade grand marshal and two of Jacksonville’s oldest veterans: Sollie Mitchell of the U.S. Army at age 102; and John Connelly of the U.S. Army Air Corps at age 95.
In addition, the parade will include senior military officials, active-duty and retired military units, veteran groups, local high school groups and decorative floats.
The city is encouraging parade spectators to show their support by wearing red, white and blue, and waving flags, while maintaining social distance from each other.
“Each year, our city is honored to host of one of the largest Veterans Day parades that shows our support and gratitude for not only those actively serving, but veterans as well, both past and present. All citizens are encouraged to join in by watching from your homes or socially distanced from our Downtown core to honor our local service members,” Mayor Lenny Curry said in an email sent to WJCT News.
No mention of face masks was made in the city’s official news release, but Jacksonville remains under a mandatory mask mandate indoors, in places where social distancing isn’t possible. The lastest Centers for Disease Control guidlines say "If you are in a crowded space, try to keep 6 feet of space between yourself and others at all times, and wear a mask."
Street closures for the parade will begin at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and will include the following streets.
- Water Street from Lee Street to Hogan Street.
- Independent Drive from Hogan Street to Laura Street
- Bay Street from Main Street to I-95.
- Forsyth Street from S Myrtle Avenue to Main Street
- Houston Street from Adams Street to Clay Street
- Adams Street from Main Street to Johnson Street
- Laura Street from Independent Drive to Monroe Street
- Lee Street from Water Street to Monroe Street
- Davis Street from Forsyth Street to Adams Street
- Madison Street from Forsyth Street to Houston Street
- Jefferson Street from Monroe Street to Riverside Avenue
- Broad Street from Acosta Bridge North to Monroe Street
- Pearl Street from Monroe Street to Water Street
- Julia Street from Bay Street to Monroe Street
- Hogan Street from Water Street to Monroe Street
- Park Street from Stonewall Street to Water Street
Archived Video Of 2018 Jacksonville Veterans Day Parade
WJCT News partner News4Jax.com will be providing live broadcast coverage from the parade on WJXT TV 4, the city also announced.
