Auburn is gearing up for its 61st annual Veterans Parade on Saturday, November 7, and this year the downtown tradition carries extra weight: the city has been designated an official Regional Site for the nation's 2026 Veterans Day celebration. The parade steps off at 11 a.m. and travels west along Main Street from E Street to A Street NW/SW, with day-long activities scheduled from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Regional Site designation comes from the Veterans Day National Committee and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to the City of Auburn, which selects standout community observances to spotlight nationally each year. Auburn has held the parade since 1965.
Scale is part of what sets Auburn's event apart. The parade is recognized as one of the largest west of the Mississippi River. The Auburn Reporter put the 2025 event at more than 150 parade units and nearly 4,000 participants.
A Solemn Start Before the Celebration
In 2025, the day began with quieter observances. A public community breakfast co-sponsored by American Legion Auburn Post #78 and the city started at 7 a.m. at the Auburn Senior Activity Center and cost $12 per person. That year's Remembrance Ceremony and Lighting of the Flame ran from 9:45 to 10:15 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, featuring a wreath placement, rifle salute and the playing of Taps — the same memorial flame traditionally lit and guarded through the night, according to the Auburn Reporter.
A Huey flyover marked the start of the 2025 parade. In 2016, a static display on South Division ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Local Service Clubs Carry the Day Forward
Once the parade wraps, the hospitality shifts to Auburn's veterans organizations. Auburn VFW Post 1741 hosts an open house from noon to 5 p.m. at 130 W. Main St. for veterans and active service members, while the Auburn Lions Club hosts a veterans luncheon at Merrill Gardens, per the same Auburn Reporter account. The gatherings reflect how deeply local service clubs are woven into the day's programming downtown.
Auburn also holds official status as a Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, according to the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs.
Afternoon Shifts to Student Musicians
The day's programming doesn't end when the last float passes. Afterward, Auburn High School hosted a marching band competition at Auburn Memorial Stadium in 2025, where parade bands competed later that day. It's a fitting bookend to a day that stretches from a 7 a.m. breakfast to 9 p.m., blending official military honors with broad community turnout across the Puget Sound region.
Those planning to attend can visit auburnwa.gov/vets for event information. With its Regional Site designation for 2026, Auburn's 61st Veterans Parade is shaping up as one of its biggest yet.
