The Cullman Veterans Day Celebration will be returning on Saturday, Nov. 6, giving local residents the chance to pay tribute to the area’s many veterans

The free event begins at 9 a.m. and will run until 3 p.m. at Sportsman Lake Park, which is also the home of the Cullman Veterans Memorial Park. 

The Veterans Day event will feature displays of military vehicles, army aviation weapons, Vietnam uniforms and weapons and United States Marine Corps weapons. For those who want to get up close and personal with military equipment, a UH-1 Helicopter will be on hand for visitors to climb inside and speak with Vietnam veteran pilots who flew the helicopter during the war. 

Visitors can also meet military re-enactors and get a look at a Civil War living history camp hosted by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. 

This year’s Veterans Celebration will also feature the inaugural Veterans Celebration Antique and Classic Car Show, along with a tractor show and gas engine exhibition. 

The day will start off with free coffee and donuts for veterans at 9 a.m., with the opening ceremony at the pavilion taking place at 10 a.m. Free lunch will also be served to veterans and their families at noon. 

Other special events throughout the day include a USO-type musical show by the singing duo Gracie & Lacy at 11 a.m., followed by a U.S. Army Band concert at noon.

Along with the Veterans Day events, visitors can also view the Veteran Memorial Park’s Vietnam Memorial, which lists the names of 1,209 Alabama soldiers killed in Vietnam between 1963 and 1975. Among the names are several Cullman County natives. The park includes monuments from World War I and II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.