VFP to March in Largest Veterans Day Parade West of the Mississippi

Saturday: VFP to March in Largest Veterans Day Parade West of the Mississippi

Posted: 18 September 2011
Last Revised: 07 November 2011

Update: See Report: Auburn Veterans Day Parade

What: Veterans Day Parade
Where: Auburn, WA; our assigned staging area is I St. SE, south of E. Main St. As of November 1st, VFP is Entry #150 (behind the Brothers In Arms Motorcycle Club and in front of the Washington High School Air Force Junior ROTC Drill Team).
When: Saturday, November 5, 2011 (this is the Saturday before Veterans Day). Participants should be in line with the VFP contingent no later than 10:30 AM; the parade "begins promptly" at 11 AM. Parking can be difficult to find so give yourself plenty of time. There is no parking in the staging area. The City of Auburn recommends that you park at the Auburn Transit Center parking garage at 2nd and A St. SW.

The Auburn Veterans Day parade offers Veterans For Peace a great opportunity to bring our message of peace and the rejection of war to an audience that may not typically be exposed to it. The parade is billed as the largest Veterans Day parade west of the Mississippi River; in 2010, an estimated 5,000 people watched the parade.

In some US cities and towns Veterans For Peace aren't allowed to participate in Veterans Day events. And last year, the City of Auburn initially denied our application, reportedly over objections to the peace flags (see photo at right). However, our 2011 parade and booth applications have both been submitted and approved. All we need now is you.

According to the City of Auburn, the purpose of the 2011 parade is "to positively focus on honoring our country's veterans and active military personnel". The 2011 Veterans For Peace parade entry application states:

Veterans For Peace honors our country's veterans and active military personnel by working to restrain our government from intervening, overtly and covertly, in the internal affairs of other nations and by working to abolish war as an instrument of national policy so that no soldier will ever be ordered to place limb, life, or soul in jeopardy for an unjust or unworthy cause. We honor them in our work by using and guarding the Constitutional freedoms, including speech, that we all swore to defend in our oaths of enlistment/office.

If you're planning to join us then please review the City of Auburn's parade rules and VFP 92's "2011 City of Auburn Veterans Days Parade" resolution (PDF).

More Details:

Check this page for updates.
The parade route is approximately 0.8 miles long. There will be one vehicle in the parade provided for VFP members who are not able to walk; seating is limited. If you need to ride in the vehicle please contact Dan Gilman, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 206-499-0226 .
There will be a VFP after-parade social gathering at the Longhorn Barbeque, located at 635 C St. SW, Auburn, WA (tel. 253-804-9600). The reservation is under the name "Veterans For Peace".
For more information about the parade please write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call Mike Kearney at 206-242-6325 (home) or 206-280-1930 (cell) or call Michelle Kinnucan at 206-297-6746 (home).
For more information on the VFP booth contact Mike Dedrick at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 206-226-2435.