For more than 100 years, this parade has honored Veterans Day. It was back in downtown Fresno
The Central Valley Veterans Day Parade is one of the few Fresno events that has lasted more than a century.
On Friday, the parade made its way through downtown — from P Street in front of City Hall to H street and Chuckchansi Park — for the 103rd time.
The parade has been running since 1919 and only took a hiatus break during World War II. Even in 2020, when state and local pandemic restrictions made it impossible for guests to line up along the parade route, the event went on, airing the festivities online, so audiences could watch from home.
As a celebration, Veterans Day itself dates back to 1919 and originally commemorated Armistice Day and the end of World War I. It wasn’t until the 1950s and following World War II and the Korean War that it became a holiday to honor “American veterans of all wars.”
In honor of the day’s original intent, the parade started at 11:11 a.m. — the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th month.
Cruz Cuellar, a veteran of the Vietnam war, said he didn’t get to go to any parades when he first got back from serving, but he’s been taking part in the Central Valley Veterans Parade for the last dozen years. He’s proud of the support he’s seen from the community.
“It means a lot to me.”
