Towns and cities throughout the Merrimack Valley and southern New Hampshire will honor those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during Veterans Day ceremonies, parades and other events this weekend.
Some of the events are highlighted below.
Andover
The town invites members of the community to honor those who served the country during a Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 11:11 a.m., at Ballardvale Green, located at Andover Street and Center Street.
The Andover High School Band will perform.
For more information contact Mark Comeiro at 978-623-8381 or email mark.comeiro@andoverma.us.
Atkinson
Atkinson was chosen as one of 66 sites nationwide, and the only one in New Hampshire, to be a designated regional site for the observance of Veterans Day programs by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Day National Committee.
Atkinson Recreation will hold a veterans breakfast and Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 11, beginning at 9 a.m. at Atkinson Fire Station, 1 Academy Ave.
Breakfast will be served at 9 a.m. for Atkinson veterans, their family and friends. The public is welcome to remember and honor our veterans during the Veterans Day ceremony at 10 a.m.
Atkinson Recreation, Atkinson Lions Club and Atkinson Women’s Civic Club are co-sponsoring this event. Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are participating in the ceremony.
They will also collect old, damaged and frayed American flags, which will be burned respectfully by Atkinson veterans.
Atkinson Veterans Club will participate for its 5th year in the Wreaths Across America program. Wreaths are $17 each. They can be purchased at wreathsacrossamerica.org/NH0022P, or by emailing Atkinsonveteransclub@gmail.com.
For more information, call Atkinson Recreation at 603-362-1098 or email commrec@atkinson-nh.gov.
Derry
Veterans are invited to a breakfast at Pinkerton Academy on Friday, Nov. 10, from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
On Saturday, Nov. 11, there will be a blessing of veterans at St. Luke’s Church, 63 East Broadway, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The town will then offer a Veterans Day ceremony at MacGregor Park, East Broadway, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
VFW Post 1617 will hold an open house following the ceremony on Railroad Avenue.
Veterans at the Derry Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Home and Birch Heights Village will be visited.
Hampstead
The town will observe Veterans Day with a ceremony on Friday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m. at the Hampstead Middle School, 28 School Street.
The event is open to the public.
The Knights of Columbus Hampstead Council #9058 held their 5th annual veterans dinner on Saturday, Nov. 4, at St. Anne Church Hall, 26 Emerson Ave.
Veterans and their partners enjoyed a free dinner. The Lawrence High School JROT performed a flag folding ceremony.
Haverhill
The Haverhill Rotary Club’s 8th annual Veterans Day Breakfast will be held on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Haverhill Country Club, 58 Brickett Lane.
Three awards will be handed out at the breakfast. The Rotary Veterans Service Awards will be presented to promote and highlight positive accomplishments and contributions veterans provide to the local community upon returning from service.
Lawrence
The city and Veteran Services will hold a Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. at The Center, 155 Haverhill St.
Londonderry
The Pay It Forward Club at Londonderry High School will host a veterans breakfast in the school’s cafe, 295 Mammoth Road, at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 10.
The club members volunteers their time to help veterans and seniors around the holidays, among other initiatives.
For more information, email ksullivan@londonderry.org or call 603-247-8304.
Methuen
The town will host a parade on Saturday, Nov. 11, with the route starting at 10 a.m. at the American Legion Post, 200 Broadway.
The parade will head north before turning left at Hampshire Street. It will then continue to Lowell Street as it heads to Grove Street and to the Legion Memorial plot in Walnut Grove Cemetery.
A brief ceremony will take place at the cemetery before the parade reforms and returns to the Legion post.
Newton
The town will celebrate Veterans Day on Saturday, Nov. 11, with a ceremony beginning at 11:11 a.m. at the Junction Fire Station, 29 West Main St.
North Andover
The town’s 2023 Veterans Day parade and ceremony will take place on Saturday, Nov. 11, kicking off at First and Main Plaza at 10 a.m. A ceremony will follow at Patriots Memorial Park, at 64 Greene St.
In the event of inclement weather, services will be held in the Middle School Veterans Auditorium, at 496 Main St., at 10:30 a.m.
Plaistow
The town will hold its Veteran Day program on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Vic Geary Center, 18 Greenough Road in Plaistow.
Breakfast will be served. The program, which honors veterans, will begin at 9 a.m.
The Timberlane Regional High School chapter of Rho Kappa will also host a celebration of veterans and breakfast on Monday, Nov. 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the school’s library, 36 Greenough Road, Plaistow.
Rho Kappa invites veterans to join its members and share their stories, along with any memorabilia.
Those interested in attending can email Jen Libby at jennifer.libby@timberlane.net.
The Timberlane Community Music Association will perform its annual Veterans Day concert on Sunday, Nov. 12, starting at 2 p.m. at the Timberlane Performing Arts Center, 40 Greenough Road.
The musical celebration will feature the Timberlane concert and jazz bands along with special guests.
The concert is free and refreshments will be served.
Salem, New Hampshire
The Woodbury School held its 25th annual Veterans Day program on Friday, Nov. 3 with more than 200 veterans and guests attending the event sponsored by the sixth-grade class.
U.S. Navy veterans Greg Getchell, and his grandfather, Joe DiPrima, were the keynote speakers. Getchell graduated from Salem High School and is a local business owner.
Other speakers included Sen. Maggie Hassan and former Sen. Kelly Ayotte. Chuck Morse, a former state senator, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Every veteran and spouses of deceased veterans received a challenge coin designed by Doug Seed and donated by The Exchange Club of Salem.