Grave markers of U.S. veterans are shown at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, where the upcoming annual Veterans Day program has been canceled due to the federal government shutdown in Dallas, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Vietnamese Catholic brothers from nearby St. John Neumann Monastery pray November devotionals for the deceased at the cemetery, where the Veterans Day program has been canceled due to the shutdown. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Unpaid federal worker and Navy veteran Mitchell Lankford prepares gravesites, highlighting how the shutdown reaches even those tending veterans’ final resting places. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
A woman walks among gravestones at the cemetery, where the annual Veterans Day program has been canceled due to the ongoing shutdown. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Unpaid federal workers prepare to entomb a deceased veteran, their dedication undiminished despite the shutdown. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
A mini U.S. flag sits among grave markers of U.S. veterans, symbolizing remembrance in the midst of canceled events. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
—
Normally on Veterans Day, volunteers gather at Riverside National Cemetery in California to place flags alongside more than 300,000 gravesites. But not this year.
The longest federal government shutdown on record is curtailing—and outright canceling—parades, ceremonies, and other events across the U.S. that are normally held to mark Veterans Day. This is yet another fallout of the shutdown, which has disrupted flights and food assistance, and is already being keenly felt by military families worried about their paychecks.
In California, organizers of “A Flag for Every Hero” said they couldn’t move forward with the event without access to restrooms, traffic control, and other essential needs for thousands of participants. Elsewhere, a lack of federal employees and access to military facilities has forced the cancellation of many other Veterans Day events.
> “We have a responsibility to provide them the resources they need, and unfortunately with the shutdown we’re unable to do that,”
> — Laura Herzog, founder and CEO of Honoring Our Fallen, which organizes the Riverside National Cemetery event.
However, many communities will still hold Veterans Day gatherings, including some of the nation’s largest and best-known events, such as the annual observance at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and the New York Veterans Day Parade.
—
The disruption to a federal holiday intended to honor those who have served in the armed forces comes as military families face uncertainty week to week about their pay. The Trump administration has found ways to pay troops twice since the shutdown began on Oct. 1.
The Texas National Cemetery Foundation canceled its annual Veterans Day event at the Dallas-Fort Worth cemetery, saying organizers wouldn’t have time to stage the ceremony even if the shutdown ended soon. In Virginia, city leaders in Hampton cited concerns about a lack of servicemembers to participate in its annual parade because of the shutdown.
> “Our veterans deserve to be recognized with great pomp and circumstance,”
> — Hampton City Manager Mary Bunting
“Without the presence of our active-duty military, we are concerned that the parade would appear sparse and that the recognition might fall short of the honor our veterans so richly deserve.”
Organizers of Detroit’s annual Veterans Day parade say they’re moving forward with the Sunday event, but it won’t include an appearance by a U.S. Army band or a helicopter flyover. Others are relying on even more help from volunteers than usual to make up for the lack of federal resources.
—
The Wyoming Valley Veterans Day Parade, which has been a tradition in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, every year since 1945, will still take place Sunday. But organizers have had to scramble, asking veterans to participate. And instead of military vehicles, the parade will feature motorcycle groups and car clubs.
> “We’re going to have a parade, one way or another,”
> — Susan Allen, retired Navy lieutenant commander and parade committee chair
“We have no choice but to make lemonade out of these lemons.”
—
Despite the upheaval, some communities are still finding ways to honor veterans even as planned events are canceled. In Mississippi, the Gulf Coast Veterans Association canceled its annual parade in Pass Christian. But the group will use funds for the event to provide Thanksgiving dinners for veterans and active-duty members.
> “While we share in the disappointment, we are choosing to turn this setback into a blessing,”
> — Gulf Coast Veterans Association (Facebook post)
—
When U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales learned that the Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery in San Antonio wouldn’t take place, the Republican congressman’s office stepped up to organize the annual event. Gonzales, a Navy veteran whose grandfather is buried at the cemetery, worked with nonprofits to ensure someone sang the national anthem and provided chairs for attendees.
> “We honor our veterans no matter what, and that’s exactly what we did,”
> — Rep. Tony Gonzales
—
Despite canceled ceremonies and parades across the nation, communities continue to honor veterans in creative and heartfelt ways, proving that their commitment endures—even in the face of federal shutdowns and obstacle after obstacle.
—
**Stay informed and connected — subscribe to The Philadelphia Tribune NOW! [Click Here](#)**
—
**Community Guidelines:**
– Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist, or sexually-oriented language.
– PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
– Don’t threaten — threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
– Be truthful — don’t knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
– Be nice — no racism, sexism, or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
– Be proactive — use the ‘Report’ link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
– Share with us — we’d love to hear eyewitness accounts and the history behind an article.
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/the-government-shutdown-prompts-the-cancellation-of-some-veterans-day-events/article_5cf0c763-f68b-4519-a73a-4ff66d0030db.html