In anticipation of Veterans Day coming up on Friday, Nov. 11, at least two cities in Jefferson County have scheduled activities this weekend.
In De Soto, the annual Veterans Day celebration Saturday (Nov. 5) will begin with a parade down Main Street to St. Louis Street sponsored by the De Soto Community Foundation and the De Soto Chamber of Commerce.
The parade, which will start at 10 a.m. Mahn Funeral Home, 900 N. Main St., will be followed by a luncheon at the KC Hall, 13225 Hwy. E.
The free lunch will include live music, military exhibitors, free photographs, door prizes and drawings.
Retired Lt. Col. Scott Ross will speak and Cliff Castle will speak on the history of the flag. Members of the Amvets Auxiliary and Junior Amvets will also have a flag presentation.
VFW service officers will be on hand to answer benefit questions.
For information or to donate to the event, call Kay Kite at 314-852-5485 or 636-337-0600 or Jeff Valle at 314-604-3321.
On Sunday (Nov. 6), Herculaneumwill hold its fifth annual Veterans Day parade and ceremony Sunday, Nov. 6.
A parade from Senn-Thomas Middle School to Herculaneum City Park will start at 2 p.m.
Entries will line up at 1 p.m. at the school.
Military veterans and active service personnel as well as veterans organizations are invited to participate in the procession.
Numbered flags will be handed out along the parade route, with a drawing for a prize given out at the Veterans Day ceremony, scheduled to begin at about 3 p.m. at the park, 776 Joachim Ave.
The ceremony will include speakers, a flag presentation, patriotic music, patriotic readings and photos with a bald eagle from the World Bird Sanctuary from 1-4 p.m.
Parade entries can be made at Herculaneum City Hall, 1 Parkwood Court, or at www.cityofherculaneum.org.
For information, call 636-475-4447. 636-475-5476 or 314-852-4964.
Although Veterans Day evolved from Armistice Day, which marked the end of World War I, if you’re interested in military history from the 19th century, you can check out the meeting on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 6) of the Arnold Historical Society.
Stan Prater will dress as Gen. U.S. Grant and tell some Civil War stories at meeting, which will begin at 2 p.m. in the lower level of the society’s museum, 1723 Jeffco Blvd.
Prater, who has appeared in several Civil War movies, also will speak on his re-enactments and Grant’s time spent at Whitehaven, Grant’s St. Louis home.