RALEIGH — The Wake County Veterans Council will present the 2023 North Carolina Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony this Saturday to honor the more than 50,000 veterans who call Wake County home.
The parade through downtown Raleigh is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., giving hundreds of residents and visitors the chance to salute service members and their families.
“Veterans Day is not just a date on the calendar — it’s a heartfelt reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices our veterans have made to protect our freedom and way of life.” said Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Shinica Thomas. “We have more veterans than any other county in the state, so this is a day when we come together to honor those who’ve served our nation and express our gratitude to not just our veterans, but their families too.”
The 2023 parade will feature more than 80 groups from various veterans organizations, several high school Junior ROTC units and other military and veteran-related groups. The parade will run along West Lenoir Street in downtown Raleigh, making its way up Fayetteville Street to the Capitol Building.
Following the parade, all attendees are encouraged to stay for the Veterans Day ceremony planned for 11 a.m. on the north side of the Capitol Building.
This year’s events will pay tribute to veterans from various eras, including World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom.
VETERAN SERVICES
Wake County’s Veteran Services Division falls under the county’s Housing Affordability & Community Revitalization Department. In addition to showing appreciation for men and women who have served in the military, the division’s staff wants to ensure veterans know about housing assistance and other benefits available to them.
“A new PenFed Foundation study shows Raleigh is the No. 1 U.S. city for veteran entrepreneurs,” a county government news release says. “Wake County Veteran Services proudly supports veterans through its programs and connects entrepreneurs with resources and guidance through partner organizations.”
The division offers free support to eligible veterans, active-duty service members, dependents, surviving spouses and children of deceased veterans.
Services include help obtaining discharge papers like DD Form 214s, assistance navigating Veterans Affairs and compensation benefits and guidance applying for educational scholarships, VA home loans and more. Learn more at wake.gov/veterans or by calling 919-268-7456.
