Downtown Fresno braces for one of its biggest gatherings of the year Wednesday, as the 107th Central Valley Veterans Day Parade rolls through the heart of the city, with more than 20,000 people expected to line the streets to honor local veterans.
The three-hour celebration begins at Fresno City Hall and finishes at Chukchansi Park, according to ABC30 Fresno. The station, which identifies itself as a sponsor of the event, says an opening ceremony kicks things off at 9:30 a.m., with the parade itself stepping off at 11:11 a.m.
For those who can't make it downtown, Action News says it will carry live coverage of the parade beginning at 11 a.m. on November 11, and that viewers can watch wherever they stream ABC30.
A Tradition Over a Century in the Making
The parade's organizers describe the event as a tribute to the full arc of military service, honoring, in their words, those who have served, are currently serving, and those who will be inspired to serve, according to the Central Valley Veterans Day Parade organizers. This year's grand marshals are being recognized as U.S. Army veterans, though the two accounts of the event differ slightly on the spelling of one grand marshal's name — ABC30's preview lists him as Kim Penington, while the parade organizers' own site spells it Kim Pennington and identifies him as an Army Ranger. Both accounts agree the second grand marshal is Dan Casas.
Putting on a parade of this scale doesn't happen overnight. Last year's event coordinator, Paul Haros, told The Collegian that organizing the parade was a year-long process, and that the purpose of the event is simply to honor veterans, past and present.
What Last Year's Parade Looked Like
The scale of this year's expected turnout tracks closely with last year's event. More than 20,000 people also gathered for the 106th annual parade, according to the same report from The Collegian. That edition's route followed the same path planned for this year, beginning in front of Fresno City Hall at 11:11 a.m. and ending in front of Chukchansi Park.
The 106th parade opened with the Fresno State marching band leading the procession, per the outlet's account. Organizers have not detailed street closures or transit changes tied to this year's route, so downtown visitors should expect the usual disruptions that come with a parade of this size moving through the city center.
