Veteran's Day Parade

By Hope Hensley and Gray Walden

Veterans Day is a federal holiday in which we honor those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. President Dwight Eisenhower was the creator of the first Veterans Day proclamation. Every year, we celebrate this holiday on November 11. When the day was first instituted, it started on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. This holiday is a special part of the Bowling Green community due to the Veterans Day parade that happens each year. The parade has been a Bowling Green tradition for over 20 years and is cherished in the community. The parade consists of floats, a flag-raising ceremony, and more, and it’s free to anyone who wants to participate!

This year, we went to the annual Veterans Parade. The parade is held at Circus Square Park. When the parade starts, you can see numerous creative floats with past veterans, companies, and many honoring veterans. Bowling Green hosts the annual parade to give back to the veterans, recognize them for what they have done, and appreciate the fight they put up. After the floats have made their rounds, raising the flag is the next. We raise the flag to honor all veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our country for the betterment of America. 

While raising the flag, families of passed veterans get emotional and reminisce about the achievements the veterans have made and the time they have spent with them. The whole environment feels so safe and there is no tension.

Veterans Day parade attendee, Jack Lindsey, says that his favorite part of Veterans Day is “the parade.” It is a beloved event in this community. While we were at the parade, we noticed the joy surrounding us. There were Bowling Green citizens smiling, applauding, and saying encouraging messages to the soldiers everywhere you looked. 

The parade consisted of many important people in the community, such as the city representatives in vintage or luxurious cars. We saw some beautiful convertibles such as Bowling Green’s own Corvettes. When the cars were passing, the participants were handing out candy to the kids cheering for them by the sidewalk. 

In the parade, there were also the JROTC classes at Warren Central High School and Greenwood High School. The “superband,” consisting of marching bands from local high schools was also playing the parade, and that included our very own band here at BGHS! The parade lasted about 35 minutes and there was never a dull moment. Even when floats and cars weren’t near us, the community kept the environment lively. 

Another great part of the parade was the decorations. There were cars and floats full of flags and decor. We even saw some citizens dressed in US attire. Also, Circus Square Park was filled with American flags surrounding the square. The environment was truly festive, and showed how the community can come together.

The Veterans Day Parade is a staple tradition of the Bowling Green community and is a beloved event throughout the city. We highly encourage everyone in the area to participate in this extravagant parade!