Every November 11, Lindside lights up with pride, gratitude, and a splash of red, white, and blue. The town comes together for one of its most heartfelt traditions, the Lindside Veterans Day Parade, organized in partnership by the Lindside Volunteer Fire Department, Lindside Christian Church, and the Lindside Family Life Center. It’s a celebration of community, service, and the generations who come out each year to honor those who served.

This year’s event will be held on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, beginning at 11 a.m. The parade starts at Lindside Christian Church on the south end of town and continues to the Lindside Family Life Center.

Richard Miller, Monroe County’s Senior 911/OEM Director, and Lindside VFD Chief, said,“It’s usually a pretty decent turnout. It’s equivalent to our Fourth of July parade. The community gets involved, and most of the schools take part, which is really good for a small town like ours.”

A Community Tradition

The parade began years ago with the Lindside Ruritan Club, and today the tradition is carried on by the Lindside Fire Department, which organizes the parade and manages traffic; the Lindside Family Life Center, which hosts the ceremony; and the Lindside Christian Church, which welcomes veterans and attendees with a free meal just before the ceremony.

Following the parade, the community gathers at the Lindside Family Life Center for a program led by local JROTC students from James Monroe High School and Greenbrier East High School.

“James Monroe does the presentation of the flag,” Miller said. “We always provide a flag to give to one of the veterans who participates. Last year, they gave it to the oldest veteran there. Usually, the veterans themselves decide who receives it. Most times it’s the president of the American Legion who comes up and says, ‘We’d like for you to make the presentation to such and such for this reason.’”

The Greenbrier East cadets follow with a POW/MIA presentation, a solemn and moving ceremony honoring prisoners of war and those still missing in action. “It’s a really neat presentation,” Miller said. “Those kids do a great job with it. The students and their instructors look forward to it all year.”

More Than a Parade

For Miller, the day is about much more than floats, flags, and fanfare. “All branches of our armed forces are welcome,” he said. “We’ve had Air Force, Marines, Army, and Navy represented, and the Coast Guard and National Guard have joined us in recent years.”

Though his department helps organize the parade and handle traffic, Miller also serves as the event’s emcee, a role he’s grown to enjoy. “This will be my third year inside as emcee,” he said. “It impressed me that first time I went in. Those (JROTC) kids do such a good job. They put a lot of heart into it.”

Looking Ahead

The Lindside Volunteer Fire Department continues to sponsor and organize the parade, working alongside the Lindside Christian Church and the Lindside Family Life Center.

Miller expressed appreciation for the community’s support and for all who serve. “We appreciate you taking care of us,” he said. “You tell your family and all the veterans out there. Monroe County thanks you for your service.”

When You Go

Lindside Veterans Day Parade
Tuesday, November 11
Parade begins at 11 a.m.
Starts at Lindside Christian Church (south end of town)
Ends at Lindside Family Life Center
Free meal for veterans and attendees provided by Lindside Christian Church following the parade and prior to the ceremony
Ceremony and JROTC presentations following the parade