Veterans Day 2024: What’s Open & Closed?

WARWICK, RI— Today is Veterans Day, the annual federal holiday set aside to honor the U.S. military service of all men and women defending America and the Constitution, including the right to cast your vote and have it weighed in steering the nation.

The first Veterans Day was “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, honoring the first anniversary of the end of World War I, according to History.com. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.

Local Veterans Day Events

This year, there is no official observance in the City of Warwick, though nearby, Coventry has an observance at Anthony Green WWI Monument (next to Ace Hardware).

Also, Cranston is hosting a Veterans Day Parade at 11:30 a.m. The Parade route will begin at Doric Avenue and concludes in Rolfe Square. A ceremony at the Cannon Memorial across from the Park Theater will be held immediately following the parade.

Tomorrow, Congressman Seth Magaziner will host his first Veterans Appreciation Breakfast and Awards Ceremony at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick at 9 a.m.

The keynote speaker at the Veterans Appreciation & Award Ceremony Breakfast will be Frank Lennon, a decorated Green Beret who served in Vietnam, graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the Providence Journal’s columnist for veterans affairs.

At the breakfast, Representative Magaziner will be presenting two Veterans Awards. The first award that will be presented is the Excellence in Community Service Award for organizations or individuals dedicated to supporting veterans and their families through exceptional volunteerism, advocacy, and mentorship. This award recognizes Rhode Islanders who work hard to improve the lives of veterans through organizing events, providing direct services, and raising awareness of their unique challenges.

The second award that will be presented is the Veterans Leadership Award to recognize outstanding individuals who have made it their life’s work to give back to the military and veteran community. This award honors those who inspire and empower others to improve the lives of Rhode Island veterans.

Veterans Day History & Notes for Today

A few points from History.com to bear in mind as many enjoy a day free from work:

• In Europe, Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries (mainly former British colony nations) it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. every Nov. 11.
• Every Veteran’s Day, Arlington National Cemetery holds a memorial service. The cemetery is home to the graves of more than 400,000 people, most of whom served in the military.

The holiday is a federal observance, with many government, social and business services closed.

In Warwick, City Hall and the school department are closed for the holiday. Trash, recycling, and yard waste pick-ups are delayed one day, starting with today’s schedule.

Public transit RIPTA is following holiday routes on Friday. All RIPTA offices will be closed in observance of Veterans Day. RIPTA will waive the fare for all Rhode Island veterans on Veterans Day with proof of eligibility. Check the RIPTA website for schedules.