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Nashville Veterans Day parades, closures

By Midstate Daily News Desk · Nov. 9, 2026
Civil War reenactors carrying American flags march down Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville during the 2012 Veterans Day parade
Photo: Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika, U.S. Army, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (source)
TLDRVeterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11. Nashville's parade runs down Broadway from 13th Avenue to 1st Avenue in late morning, with street closures starting around 9:30 a.m. Franklin's 25th annual parade steps off at 11 a.m. on Main Street, Lebanon's starts at 10 a.m., and Murfreesboro holds an 11 a.m. ceremony on the Public Square. Metro Nashville Public Schools and post offices are closed, with no regular mail delivery.

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Veterans Day falls on Wednesday, Nov. 11, this year, and towns across the five-county Nashville area are marking it with parades, ceremonies and free admission for those who served.

Several communities held their events early. Gallatin and Nolensville had parades Saturday, Nov. 7, and Hendersonville's parade was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, Nov. 8. Here is what is still ahead this week.

Nashville: Broadway parade

Nashville's Veterans Day parade follows Broadway from 13th Avenue down to 1st Avenue near the Cumberland River. Military units and veterans groups from across Middle Tennessee make up most of the lineup.

Listings disagree on the 2026 start time. Some give 11 a.m. and others 11:11 a.m., and organizers had not posted a final schedule as of last week, according to FOX 17 and Top of Nashville. In recent years, Metro police began closing streets around the route at about 9:30 a.m. Plan to park early or ride in, and be on Broadway by about 10:45 a.m.

Ascend Amphitheater is hosting a free Veterans Day Community Day starting at 12:30 p.m., with live music, military vehicle displays and giveaways, FOX 17 reported. Advance RSVP is available.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum offers free admission Nov. 11 to active-duty and retired service members plus up to three immediate family members. Reservations are recommended, and visitors should bring military ID.

Franklin: 25th annual parade

Franklin's parade begins promptly at 11 a.m. at West Main Street and Fifth Avenue, according to the city. It travels down Main Street from Five Points to the Square, then to Third Avenue North, and ends at Bicentennial Park.

Williamson County high school JROTC units and marching bands are taking part, and Franklin Special School District is sending a large group of students. A reception for veterans and their families runs from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Williamson County Archives. This year marks the parade's 25th anniversary.

Murfreesboro: ceremony on the Square

Murfreesboro's Veterans Day ceremony starts at 11 a.m. on the east side of the Historic Rutherford County Courthouse, WGNS reported. This year's program ties in America's 250th anniversary, with a Revolutionary War reenactor portraying Capt. William Lytle, who laid out the town's public square.

The ceremony also includes a POW/MIA remembrance, letters read by mothers of service members, and a wreath-laying at the War Memorial Monument as taps is played. WGNS plans to stream it on YouTube and wgnsradio.com.

Lebanon and Goodlettsville

In Wilson County, the parade starts at 10 a.m. at Lebanon First United Methodist Church on West Main Street and ends at Wilson County Veterans Plaza, where a ceremony begins at 11 a.m. Mount Juliet residents can also visit the Veterans Wall at Veterans Park near the clock tower.

Goodlettsville's parade and ceremony run from 10 a.m. to noon at Moss-Wright Park, with a program on the Bowen House lawn, according to FOX 17.

What's closed Wednesday

Metro Nashville Public Schools and district offices are closed for Veterans Day, according to the district calendar. Most Metro government offices are also closed for the holiday.

All post offices close Nov. 11, and regular mail delivery resumes Thursday, Nov. 12, the U.S. Postal Service said. Self-service kiosks remain available in some lobbies.

Free meals and family events

Several chains have posted 2026 Veterans Day offers for veterans and active-duty service members, including Applebee's, Chili's and Red Robin. Golden Corral offers a free buffet from 4 p.m. to close. Most offers are dine-in only at participating locations and require proof of service, so call ahead.

Adventure Science Center and Operation Stand Down Tennessee host a free evening for veterans and military families from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, with hands-on exhibits and planetarium shows.

If you plan to fly a flag at home this week, an outdoor American flag with sewn stripes holds up best in the weather.

Looking for more to do? See our things to do in Nashville roundup, all Midstate Daily events coverage and more Williamson County news.

Sources

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