Wednesday, Nov. 8
• 2 – 4 p.m. – Veterans Reception at Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent St .: This event will honor veterans and members of the armed forces. Colors will be posted and retired by the Lebanon High School JROTC. Other special guests will be representatives of the South Willamette Valley Honor Flight Program. The event is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, call (541) 258-4919.
Friday, Nov. 10
• 7 p.m. – Veteran of the Year Banquet at Linn Co. Fair and Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road, SE, Albany: An evening to honor the Veteran of the Year, distinguished veterans and where friends reconnect. Those who have served both their country and their communities will be honored.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with dinner and the evening’s program beginning at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $27.50. To reserve tickets or for more information, call (541) 981-2390 email: [email protected].
• 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. – St. Mary’s 73rd Arts and Crafts Bazaar, 706 Ellsworth St. SW, Albany: Lots of quality vendors and baked goods.
Veterans Day
Saturday, Nov. 11
• 6:30 – 9:30 a.m. – Optimist Club Annual Pancake Breakfast at West Albany High School: Cost is $8 per person, $4 for veterans/active military/children under the age of 12.
• 8:30 a.m. – Veterans Day Memorial Service at Linn County Veterans Memorial, Timber Linn Park, Albany: POW/MIA and Gold Star wreaths will be placed in remembrance, “Oregon’s Own” 234th Army Band will perform and guest speakers will honor all. Oregon Army National Guard Bravo Battery 2-218 FA will perform a 21-gun salute, and Echo Taps will be played. Coffee, provided by Dutch Bros., will be served on site beginning at 7:30 a.m.
• 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – St. Mary’s 73rd Arts and Crafts Bazaar, 706 Ellsworth St. SW, Albany: Lots of quality vendors and baked goods. Stop by before or after the parade and check it out!
• 11 a.m. – 66th Albany Veterans Day Parade, Downtown Albany: 66th annual Albany Veterans Day Parade is the largest Veterans Day parade west of the Mississippi, with 200-plus entries, a military jet flyover and much more. This year’s theme is “Honoring Our Women Veterans.” Parade route runs north on Lyons Street, west on 2nd Avenue and south on Ferry. Crowds are thick, so it’s a good idea to get there early to stake out a spot.
• 2:30 p.m. – Parade Awards Ceremony (following the end of the parade) on the steps of the Linn County Courthouse. (4th Avenue SW and Broadalbin Street): Awards are handed out to winners, selected by judges on the parade route, in three categories: Bands, Marching units and Color Guards.
• 5:30 -7 p.m. – Veterans Day Dinner at Sweet Home Elks Lodge, 440 Osage St. Dinner is free for all veterans; $7 for others. Free haircuts by Beauty 101 and Oh My Massage will offer free massages for veterans. For more information, call (541) 367-3559.
After the Parade – Post-Parade Luncheons
• Noon – Grand Marshal’s and Distinguished Veteran’s Lunch: Sybris Bistro – W. First Avenue.
• Noon – Burgers for Bands, City Hall Plaza (4th Avenue and SW Broadalbin Street): Burgers will be served to all band members after the parade, presented by First Burger and Coastal Farm, Music by KRKT.
• Noon – Free Spaghetti Lunch at American Legion Post 10, 1215 Pacific Blvd., Albany: The American Legion will offer a spaghetti lunch to all veterans and parade participants.
• Noon – Free Chili Lunch at VFW Post 584, 1469 Timber St. Albany: The VFW will offer a chili lunch for all veterans and parade participants.
Concerts
• 3 p.m. – Willamette Master Chorus Veterans Concert, Hudson Hall in Rogers Music Center on the Willamette University Campus, 900 State St., Salem: Soprano Leslie Katter and the chorus will perform patriotic music, along with “Dona Nobis Pacem” (“Grant us Peace”) by Ralph Vaughan Williams, text by Walt Whitman. The concert will also include the inaugural performance of the Willamette Master Chorus Honor Choir, which includes top choir students from Salem-Keizer area high schools. Tickets are $30 for premium seats, $20 for general. Visit http://www.willamettemasterchorus.org for more information and to purchase tickets.
• 4 p.m. – Willamette Valley Concert Band Veterans Day Patriotic Pops Concert, Lebanon High School Performing Arts Center, 1700 S 5th St .: The band and Lebanon High School choirs will perform. For details, see page ###.
Sunday, Nov. 12
• 3 p.m. – Willamette Master Chorus Veterans Concert, Hudson Hall in Rogers Music Center on the Willamette University Campus, 900 State St., Salem: Soprano Leslie Katter and the chorus will perform patriotic music, along with “Dona Nobis Pacem” (“Grant us Peace”) by Ralph Vaughan Williams, text by Walt Whitman. The concert will also include the inaugural performance of the Willamette Master Chorus Honor Choir, which includes top choir students from Salem-Keizer area high schools. Tickets are $30 for premium seats, $20 for general. Visit http://www.willamettemasterchorus.org for more information and to purchase tickets.