City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Contact: Austin Center for Events, Erik Johnson 737-262-5115 Email
Date/Time: Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 9 a.m.
Parade Starting/Ending Location: South Congress Avenue bridge/Texas State Capitol building
Tickets: Parade is free and open to the public
Event Website: austinveteransparadefoundation.org
Join the City of Austin and the Austin Veterans Parade Foundation for the 68th annual Austin Veterans Day Parade. The theme for Veterans Day 2023 is veteran mental health, which highlights the importance of supporting our local veterans who served our nation.
Austinites will have the opportunity to show their gratitude for our veteran community as around 200 floats, vehicles and organizations will march from the South Congress Avenue Bridge to the Capitol complex on 11th Street and Congress Avenue. A commemoration program will take place at the south steps of the Capitol following the conclusion of the parade.
Getting To and From the Event
Downtown Austin will host both the Veterans Day parade and the Texas Book Fest on Nov. 11, which will impact arriving for the event. Maps of the parade route and street closures and downtown parking options are available to help attendees plan ahead of time. Carpooling is highly encouraged.
Alternatively, event attendees should consider using CapMetro or parking away from downtown and using the Ann and Roy Butler hike-and-bike trail or a bike share through Austin B-cyle to get to a location along the Austin Veterans Day parade route.
Health and Safety at the Austin Veterans Day Parade
The Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, and Austin-Travis County EMS work in partnership to create a safe environment in which everyone can enjoy the parade and encourage attendees to:
- Remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to 9-1-1.
- Plan for the weather forecast.
- Stay with your group and have a pre-planned meeting location in case of separation.
- Be mindful of pedestrians, scooter riders, bicyclists and other vulnerable road users when traveling.
- Keep your phone fully charged.
- Download the what3words app to pinpoint and share your location.
Austin Public Health recommends attendees get vaccinated, use hand sanitizer, wash hands often and stay home if you feel sick. Find vaccines near you at vaccines.gov (vacunas.gov en Español).
About the Austin Veterans Parade Foundation
The Austin Veterans Parade Foundation (AVPF) is an all-volunteer board made up of veterans and citizens who care for and honor service members. The AVPF partners with the Austin Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3), to support the annual parade.
About Austin Center for Events
The Austin Center for Events (ACE) is a collaborative assembly of City of Austin departments and agencies designed to streamline special event permitting on public and private property. ACE is anchored by teams from Austin Public Health, Transportation and Public Works, Parks, Music, Police, Fire, EMS, Austin Resource Recovery, Development Services, and partner agencies, and works closely with event organizers to guide them through the special event permitting process.