Americans mark Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11, honoring the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, with ceremonies from Arlington National Cemetery to New York's Fifth Avenue.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will visit Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday morning, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 11 a.m. before the president delivers Veterans Day remarks at the Memorial Amphitheater at 11:30 a.m. Vice President JD Vance and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins will join them.
The day traces its roots to Nov. 11, 1918, when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany took effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, ending the fighting of World War I. It became a federal holiday in 1938 as Armistice Day, and in 1954 Congress renamed it Veterans Day to honor veterans of all wars.
New York City will host the nation's largest Veterans Day celebration. The annual NYC Veterans Day Parade, organized by the United War Veterans Council, steps off at 12:30 p.m. ET with more than 20,000 service members, 25 floats and 280 marching units expected to march up Fifth Avenue.
Retired Navy captain and NASA astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams will serve as the parade's grand marshal. This year's parade also marks the 85th anniversary of World War II and the 25th anniversary of the War on Terror, organizers said.
Veterans Day is a federal holiday, so banks and post offices are closed, though grocery stores, retailers and most restaurants remain open. The U.S. stock market is open for trading, while the bond market is closed and reopens Thursday.
National parks are open and free to enter on Wednesday, the last fee-free date of the year. Restaurants across the country are also offering free meals and discounts to active-duty military personnel and veterans.
