Michael Elston pays tribute to Cullman’s fallen heroes on Memorial Day 2020 at Veterans Park at Sportsman Lake Park.

Area veterans of America’s fighting forces will be honored Saturday with a pinning ceremony in Cullman; one that the public is invited to attend.

Supporters will gather at noon Saturday under the pavilion at Veterans Memorial Park for the ceremony, a way to acknowledge the military service and sacrifices made by veterans and their families. The park is located at the entrance to Sportsman Lake Park off U.S. Highway 31 in Cullman.

Organized by the Gardendale-based Chapter 416 of Vietnam Veterans of America, the event will likely draw a crowd, with buses of supporters from the Birmingham area set to ferry out-of-town guests to the park.

Framed by flags and retired military field equipment, Veterans Memorial Park serves as a frequent backdrop to events that honor local service members. The park is also home to the Alabama Veterans Memorial Wall, built by Chapter 416 members in 1992. The wall lists the names of 1,209 Alabama soldiers — including several Cullman County natives — who died in Vietnam between 1963 and 1975.

The park also features monuments devoted to World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.