The City of Lake Charles Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission will host the City’s annual Veterans Day Celebration at Veterans Memorial Park, located on Lakeshore Drive, on Saturday, November 11, 2023, beginning at 7:30 a.m. with a full day of events.

The day will get underway with the Ruck the Chuck 5K starting on the north side of the Lake Charles Event Center property. Registration is available at Ruck the Chuck (runsignup.com).

At 8:30 a.m., a free breakfast will be served, near Veterans Memorial Park, for all who come out to attend the Veterans Day program that begins at 10 a.m.  Food will be served as long as supplies last.

At 10 a.m., the annual program will get underway at Veterans Memorial Park. The program will pay special tribute to Desert Storm, Post 9/11, Global War on Terrorism and Enduring Freedom Veterans and will feature guest speaker Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Baranello, Commander of the 115th Field Hospital at Fort Johnson. 

Following the program, the SWLA Veterans Association will host a free festival for all veterans and their families inside the Lake Charles Event Center Coliseum, beginning at noon. The festival will feature live music, food and fun for the entire family. 

The day’s events are free and open to the public and attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and/or picnic blanket to enjoy a day in Veterans Memorial Park.

Event sponsors include Optimum, Acadian Ambulance, Lake Charles Toyota, Brashear Law, SWLA Veterans Association, Dr. Daniel Weaver, Dr. Stephanie Weaver, Volkswagen of Lake Charles, Louisiana Mortgage Associates, The Firm of Louisiana, Lindsey Cutler State Farm, Main Squeeze Juice Company, K-jon, Ward 3 Marshals Office, The Villages of Imperial Pointe and the Calcasieu Parish Sherriff’s Office. 

For more information, call (337) 491-1383.

Veterans Day 2023