22 Nov 6th-Nov 12th, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Honor the Soldier 7 Veterans Day events around metro Phoenix. BY JENNIFER GOLDBERG V eterans Day will be observed on Tuesday, Nov. 11, and around the Valley, ceremo- nies, parades and other events will honor those who have served in the U.S. military. Want to take a moment to observe the holiday? Here are seven places around metro Phoenix to do so. East Valley Veterans Day Parade Center Street and University Drive, Mesa The theme of this year’s East Valley Veterans Day Parade is “Ready Then, Ready Now: 250 Years of Military Service.” The event begins at 11 a.m. on Center St. and University Drive in Mesa, and runs south on Center St. to First St., turns west onto First St. and continues to Robson. The grand marshal is U.S. Marine Corps veteran Corporal Bob Brutinel, who grew up in Arizona and fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Start time is 11 a.m. Goodyear Veterans Day Festival City Hall, 1900 N. City Square, Goodyear In the West Valley, the Veterans Day festival hosted by the city of Goodyear will include live music, patriotic murals, patriotic arts and crafts, a tribute flag garden, veterans resources and informa- tional vendors, food trucks and more. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Phoenix Veterans Day Parade Central Ave. and Montebello Drive The Phoenix Veterans Day Parade will begin at 11 a.m. near Central Ave. and Montebello Drive, heading south on Central to Camelback Road, turning east on Camelback Road to Seventh St., turning south on Seventh and ending at Indian School Road. Actor, UFC champion and veteran Randy Couture is the celebrity grand marshal. The parade will include entries from nearly 100 companies and organizations. Scottsdale Veterans Day Commemoration City Hall Memorial Lawn, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale Scottsdale’s annual Veterans Day Commemoration will feature remarks from local leaders, a moment of remem- brance and a keynote address from Air Force veteran Mario Valencia, who will share his story of resilience and recovery as a survivor of the 1995 attack on the Khobar Towers barracks in Saudi Arabia. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to noon. Surprise Veterans Day Parade and Celebration Bullard Ave. and Paradise Lane, Surprise A parade is just the beginning of Surprise’s Veterans Day event. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and will run along Bullard Ave. from Paradise Lane to Tierra Buena Lane. Next, a celebration featuring live music, various food trucks, a beer garden, kids activities will run until 3 p.m. Spectators can also pay their respects and honor servicemembers at the Veteran’s Reflection Circle outdoor memorial at Surprise Community Park. Tempe Veterans’ Day Parade ASU Gammage, 1200 S. Forest Ave., Tempe The Tempe Veterans’ Day Parade is a decades-long tradition. This year, the event will begin at ASU Gammage at 10 a.m. and proceed north on Mill Avenue, ending at Tempe Beach Park. Parade participants include members of the Tempe City Council, various Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, local school marching bands, community members, veterans groups and others. Volunteers will hand out thousands of small flags to children and veterans along the parade route. West Valley Veterans Day Ceremony & Walk/Run Estrella Mountain Community College, 3000 N. Dysart Road, Avondale Get your blood pumping on Veterans Day with a 5K run/1K walk beginning at 9:45 a.m. Cost is $40 for the race and $25 for the walk; proceeds benefit the Dr. Ernest Lara – EMCC Veterans Scholarship Fund. The city of Avondale’s police and fire departments will be on-site with inter- active, family-friendly activities. There will be a veterans ceremony at 11 a.m. (Ken_KMF Strategies/Flickr/CC BY 2.0) ▼ Arts & Culture
