Veterans Day In Havre de Grace: Ceremony Planned

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — Veterans Day, a federal holiday, is held yearly on Nov. 11. It honors all American veterans and military.

In Havre de Grace, there is a celebration on Wednesday for Veterans Day.

Due to inclement weather in the forecast, it has been moved from Tydings Park to the American Legion banquet hall at 501 St. John Street.

"In order to observe current health & safety rules, only the first 75 people to arrive may enter the hall," the Havre de Grace Alliance said in a statement. The front door will open at 10:30 a.m., and the ceremony starts at 11 a.m.

On Tuesday, Gov. Larry Hogan urged people to avoid indoor gatherings, citing contact tracing data that showed this was one of the things people who tested positive for the coronavirus had in common. Hogan warned strongly against more than 25 people gathering in one place indoors.

Related: Coronavirus Surge Prompts New MD Restrictions By Gov. Hogan

Originally called Armistice Day, Veterans Day was created at the end of World War I to recognize those who fought in “the war to end all wars,” according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Its origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly after the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II, after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

With some ceremonies, parades and presentations either canceled or altered in 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active military members.

Applebee’s, Bob Evans and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

Other places, such as Golden Corral, have offers extended throughout November.

Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States in war.

— By Tim Moran and Elizabeth Janney