Huntsville's 2026 Veterans Day Parade steps off at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, downtown. Times, free breakfast, band show, road closures and holiday trash.
Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: Veterans Day Parade and Events of North Alabama, the nonprofit that organizes the parade; the City of Huntsville’s Veterans Day closing notice and garbage holiday schedule; and the Police Department’s 2025 parade notice.
Huntsville’s Veterans Day Parade starts at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in downtown Huntsville. A free breakfast and a pre-parade band show on Monroe Street come first, and the Veterans Day Dinner is the night before at the Von Braun Center. City offices close for the holiday and garbage pickup runs a day late.
Quick answers
- Parade: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, downtown. Free.
- Pre-parade show: 10 a.m., 200 Monroe St., in front of Veterans Memorial Park.
- Road closures: expect streets around Big Spring Park and the Von Braun Center to close from 8 a.m. The 2026 list is due from the Police Department in the week before.
- Garbage: delayed one day all week.
- Questions about the parade: Veterans Day Parade and Events of North Alabama, 256-922-5920.
Is the parade on this year?
Yes. The organizer’s site lists the 2026 Veterans Day Parade for Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and says parade registration is closed. Veterans Day parades have been held in Huntsville for more than 60 years, the group says. It formed as a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2024 to organize the parade and its events.
The schedule
From Veterans Day Parade and Events of North Alabama:
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Noon Monday, Nov. 9 | Veterans Day proclamation signing, at the mayor’s State of the City address | Von Braun Center |
| 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10 | Veterans Day Dinner: social hour 5:30 p.m., dinner and program 6:30 p.m. | Von Braun Center, Saturn Ballroom |
| 8 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Veterans Day Breakfast | The Roundhouse, near Veterans Memorial Park |
| 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Pre-parade show by the 60-piece Huntsville Concert Band | 200 Monroe St., in front of Veterans Memorial Park |
| 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Veterans Day Parade | Downtown Huntsville |
- The dinner is $60 a seat, with tickets on the organizer’s dinner page. It honors the newest inductees into the Madison County Hall of Heroes.
- The breakfast is billed by the organizer as a free breakfast honoring veterans, with senior military leaders and elected officials there. Its listing also mentions a nominal donation.
- The State of the City is the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber luncheon, noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, in the Von Braun Center’s Saturn Ballroom, the city calendar says.
The route and road closures
The organizer’s site calls 2026 a “new and beautiful” route and shows it on a map. It had not published the streets in text as of Oct. 19, and the Police Department posts its closure notice in the week before the parade. This page will carry it.
In 2025, the Police Department said the parade started on Monroe Street near the Huntsville-Madison County Veterans Memorial, went through and around Big Spring Park and the Von Braun Center arena and ended near Clinton Avenue and Heart of Huntsville Drive:
- Closures began in phases at 8 a.m., with all streets closed by 10:30 a.m. and reopened by 1 p.m.
- Affected: the Interstate 565 exit to Jefferson Street, Jefferson Street, Monroe Street, Holmes Avenue, Clinton Avenue, Spragins Street, Williams Avenue and Church Street.
If you drive downtown that morning, come in before 8 a.m. or plan to park outside the closure area and walk in. Our parking and getting around page lists the city’s downtown garages and rates, and our road closures page carries the city’s notice when it is out.
What is closed
- City offices: closed Wednesday, Nov. 11; they reopen at 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, the city says.
- Garbage and yard waste: delayed one day for the rest of the week. Wednesday carts go out for Thursday. See our trash and recycling page.
- Schools: check the Huntsville City Schools calendar and our public schools page.
What this means for you
- The parade is on a weekday this year. Get downtown by 10 a.m. for the band show and a spot on Monroe Street.
- Veterans: the breakfast at the Roundhouse runs 8 to 10 a.m. before the parade.
- Put your garbage cart out a day late all week.
Have a Veterans Day ceremony, school program or business discount to add? Send it through our contact page.
More guides: things to do this month, Memorial Day and Thanksgiving.
Frequently asked questions
What time is the Huntsville Veterans Day parade in 2026?
11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, in downtown Huntsville, according to Veterans Day Parade and Events of North Alabama, the nonprofit that runs it. The organizer lists the parade from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a pre-parade band show from 10 a.m. on Monroe Street.
What is the Veterans Day parade route in Huntsville?
The organizer’s 2026 map was not published in text form as of Oct. 19. In 2025 the parade started on Monroe Street near the Huntsville-Madison County Veterans Memorial, went through and around Big Spring Park and the Von Braun Center arena and ended near Clinton Avenue and Heart of Huntsville Drive.
Is there trash pickup on Veterans Day in Huntsville?
Garbage collection is delayed one day for Veterans Day, the city says. With the holiday on Wednesday, Nov. 11, Wednesday routes and the rest of the week run a day late.
Are Huntsville city offices open on Veterans Day?
No. Municipal offices close Wednesday, Nov. 11, and reopen at 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, the city calendar says.
Is the Veterans Day breakfast free?
The organizer describes it as a free breakfast honoring veterans, 8 to 10 a.m. Nov. 11 at the Roundhouse near Veterans Memorial Park, and mentions a nominal donation. Check the organizer’s site for who is asked to donate.
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