Road closures and route for Jacksonville's Veterans Day Parade
Dr. John Lovejoy Jr. , a Vietnam war veteran and retired orthopedic surgeon who even treated prominent politicians, will be the grand marshal for Jacksonville's 2026 Veterans Day Parade . The parade will begin at 11:01 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, with a procession featuring grand marshals, senior military leaders, active-duty and retired military units, veteran organizations, Junior ROTC detachments, high school marching bands and ornamental floats. "Every November, the streets of downtown Jacksonville become a place where generations come together to recognize the service and sacrifices of our military veterans," according to the event's lead sponsor, the law offices of Navy veteran Ron Sholes . "A proud tradition. A grateful community. A day to honor our veterans … celebrate the men and women who have proudly served our nation." The parade was first staged in 2013 and this year is expected to have about 2,500 participants, "It is truly an honor to participate in this meaningful celebration of the brave men and women from our community who have served our country," Mayor Donna Deegan said. "As a proud military town, Jacksonville has a rich Veterans Day tradition and I encourage all our citizens to be a part of it.” Here's
