Veterans march along the Herritage Street parade route during the 2017 Veterans Day Parade.

Most Baby Boomers can remember the veteran celebrations of our youth. Families lined the streets, waving flags and cheering, as veterans marched past during parades held to honor Veterans Day and Memorial Day. For some reason, enthusiastic displays in support of those who are defending, and have defended our freedom, seem to have faded.

Salute! and G.I. Joe’s Living History Museum are working to bring back the enthusiasm with a pre-Veterans Day observance this weekend. I asked Eric Cantu why his organizations selected Nov. 2 for the observance rather than Nov. 9.

“We are trying to avoid conflicts with other veteran observances,” he told me. “We really wanted our local people to focus on our local celebration. We also did not want to conflict with the Marine Corps birthday celebration on Nov. 10.”

The weekend’s activity will begin Friday afternoon with the dedication of roughly 18 new bricks in the Walk of Honor at the Tiffany West Park on Herritage Street. Chairman Terry Boyles will lead the ceremony, scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Friday. These bricks are placed as remembrances of veterans throughout the years. They span the conflicts our nation has endured.

At 7 p.m. Friday, the Tar River Community Band will perform during the Sponsor Reception at American Legion Post #43 at the corner of McLewean and North streets. During the reception, sponsors will be recognized for their support. The band will perform a program of patriotic music.

A word about the band is in order. The Tar River Community Band is an all-volunteer organization that has been making music since 1987. The band’s season begins the first Thursday after Labor Day and concludes each year in July. Each week, musicians gather to rehearse for 90 minutes. The band is a diverse group, with the youngest member still in high school and the oldest members well into retirement. People of all ages and occupations lend their talents to the effort.

The Veterans Parade, the headline event, kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday. Parade participants will gather at staging areas in the parking lot of the old Hardee’s restaurant on Vernon Avenue and Herritage Street and in the parking lot of Edwards Funeral Home. The parade will make its way down Herritage Street, then turn right on Gordon Street, and end in Pearson Park.

Lt. Col. Joel Eberly, past commander of the National Guard in Kinston, will be the keynote speaker at the brief celebration ceremony at the park. Carolina Country Music Award winner Jeremy Lane will perform after the ceremony to honor veterans and their families.

The parade will kick off with the Grand Marshall, Rep. Chris Humphrey of Lenoir County, rolling along in a horse-drawn caisson. U.S. 3rd District Congressman Greg Murphy will be on hand, as well as a number of city and county officials, according to Donna Ramsey, parade coordinator.

“We have about 300 flags to hand out for children to wave as the parade passes,” Dr. Ramsey said. “We want to encourage children to learn to celebrate our nation and its veterans.”

A new event this year is a patriotic poster contest.

“Any school-age child – public, private or homeschooled – is urged to create a patriotic poster to wave during the parade. After the parade, the children can bring their posters for a contest. We will be awarding first, second and third prizes.”

Any veterans should feel free to join the parade. They may march with their families, especially their children, she said.

Marching bands from Woodington Middle School and Kinston High School will provide music. One Promise Gospel Group will perform as members ride the parade route in a wagon

In order for this observance to be a success, Salute! and G.I. Joe’s need your help.

“We would love to see hundreds and hundreds of people lining the parade route to honor and celebrate our veterans,” Cantu said. “Patriotism is caught – not taught. When children see their parents celebrating veterans, the little ones are unlikely to forget that image and its lesson.”

Put this weekend on your calendar. All events are open to the public – and are free.

Mike Parker is a columnist for Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.