Join Us In the Founding City of Veterans Day for the 2019 All Veterans Tribute!

Posted on Oct 29, 2019 by Visit Emporia

As the founding city of Veterans Day, Emporia, Kansas, is proud to host more than two weeks of events honoring our veterans. Plan to visit for one of our special events. There are enough events Nov. 8-11 to make it a long weekend. For accommodation information, visit our Hotels/Motels Directory.

Veterans Day History

According to http://www.allveteransday.org, in 1953, Emporian Alvin J. King proposed that Armistice Day be changed to Veterans Day to recognize and honor all veterans from all wars and conflicts. Veterans Day was first organized and celebrated in Emporia in 1953. Kansas Congressman Ed Rees, also an Emporian, then took King’s proposal to Congress, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, also of Kansas, signed the bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day. The first nationwide observance of Veterans Day was on November 11, 1954.

All Veterans Memorial Park

While you’re in town celebrating our veterans, don’t forget to stop by the All Veterans Memorial Park, 931 S. Commercial St., in Emporia.

The All Veterans Memorial Park was founded in 1991 to establish a park to honor veterans and their families. At that time Emporia, like many cities, had over 20 monuments and memorials as well as military historic vehicles throughout the community. Through partnership, planning and hard work a Committee established, planned and developed the beautiful park that has drawn visitors from all over the world since its founding.

List Honoring Veterans

Every November the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau provides a list of area veterans that is published in a special insert in The Emporia Gazette and the Flint Hills Shopper. In order to have a veteran’s name published to the list, a Veteran Profile Form must be completed and submitted to the Visitors Bureau. The Veterans Profile Form can be submitted online or a printed form can be obtained at the Visitors Bureau, 719 Commercial Street.

List of All Veterans Events

Emporia’s All Veterans Tribute includes events to suit all ages with the common goal of celebrating and honoring those who served our country.

Through October 31: Quilts of Gratitude on display at the Emporia Public Library, 110 E. Sixth Ave.
Oct. 30-Nov. 23: A Veteran Artist Gallery Exhibit will be on display at the Emporia Arts Center, 815 Commercial St. The event is part of the EVAC Project – “Experiencing Veterans & Artists Collaboration.” For the first time ever, the complete EVAC project will be on display in one location: the founding city of Veterans Day.
Nov 1: A Veteran Artist Exhibition Reception will be held from 4-6 p.m. at the Emporia Arts Center.
Nov 2: A Flag Celebration at Emporia State University will be held at 10:30 a.m. in front of Plumb Hall, 1 Kellogg Circle. View a campus and parking map here.
Nov 2: An All Veterans Luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. at Sauder Alumni Center, 1500 Highland Street. RSVP to (620) 341-6470.
Nov 2: Veterans will be recognized during the Emporia State University Veterans Recognition and Senior Day football game vs. Washburn at Welch Stadium on the ESU campus. View a campus and parking map here.
Nov 5 and Nov. 6: The film “From Horse Calvary to B-29, the Kansas Homefront in WWII” will be shown at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 and 3 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Emporia State University William Allen White Library, Room 119. View a campus and parking map here.
Nov 6: The group Straight No Chaser will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the Emporia Granada Theatre, 807 Commercial St. The event is presented by the Emporia Arts Council.
Nov 7: Veterans can eat a free breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Emporia Senior Center, 603 E. 12^th Ave.
Nov 7: A Military Roundtable, “Treaty of Versailles,” will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Preston Family Room of the Emporia State University Memorial Union. To view a map of the Union, go here. To view the parking map of campus go here.
Nov 8: Lee Greenwood & Crystal Gale will be in concert at 8 p.m. at the Emporia Granada Theatre, 807 Commercial St.
Nov 9: Freedom Fest will take place at the All Veterans Memorial Park, 931 S. Commercial St. Register for events here. The events will include a 5K or 1 mile walk/run or stroll; Gravel City Freedom cycle rides; the “Will to Win” Spur Challenge. Each event starts at 9:30 a.m. The EANGKS Kansas Proud 10 miler/12 mile RuckMarch will also be held starting at 9:45 a.m. In addition, the Kansas Army National Guard will host displays and demonstrations from 9 a.m. to 3 pm.
Nov 9: The Freedom Fest Disc Golf Open will take place starting at 8 a.m. in Soden’s Grove Park, 1000 S. Commercial St.
Nov 9: A Craft & Trade Show will be held at the Flinthills Mall, 1634 Industrial Road, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Nov 9: The Quilts of Gratitude Ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at the Bowyer Community Building on the Lyon County Fairgrounds, 2700 W. US Highway 50.
Nov 10: The Student Essay & Poster Awards will be given out at 2 p.m. at Emporia Middle School, 2300 Graphic Arts Road.
Nov 11: Veterans can eat a free breakfast at 7 a.m. at the Emporia Presbyterian Manor, 2300 Industrial Road.
Nov 11: View veteran banners from the campus of Emporia State University to the All Veterans Memorial Park. For more information go to Emporia Main Street’s website.
Nov 11: The Veterans Day Parade starts at 9:30 a.m. on Commercial Street.
Nov 11: A Veterans Memorial Service will take place at 11 a.m. at the All Veterans Memorial Park.
Nov 11: A Ham & Bean Feed will start at noon at the American Legion Post 5, 2921 W 12th Ave and VFW Post 1980, 932 Graphic Arts Road.
Nov 11: The Emporia State University A Capella Choir will present a Veterans Day Concert at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 823 Merchant St.
Nov 15: The All Veterans Show will take place at 7 p.m. in Emporia State University’s Albert Taylor Hall, inside Plumb Hall, 1 Kellogg Circle. View a campus and parking map here.
Nov 22-30: The Veteran Artists Exhibit Winning Entries Display will be at ESB Financial, 801 Merchant St.