Veterans Day celebrated in Modesto with downtown parade, ceremony in park
Veterans Day was celebrated in Modesto on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, with a parade from downtown to Graceada Park, where the ceremony included Patty Castillo Davis singing the national anthem and “God Bless America.”
The parade was presented by the American Legion, the Veterans Day Parade Committee and the Veterans Chamber of Commerce NorCal, and its theme was “Honoring Those That Served And Continue To Serve.”
Veterans Day, once known as Armistice Day, originally was set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place Nov. 11, 1918. On June 1, 1954, the name was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.
Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen, who was among elected officials who took part in the holiday observance, posted on Facebook on Saturday, “Veterans are the embodiment of selflessness, resilience, and valor. Today and everyday we should pay tribute to our veterans. I am deeply grateful for their service.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2023 at 8:22 AM.
