Long Beach, Pass Christian to join forces to host this year’s annual Veterans Day Parade
By Toni Miles
The inaugural Veterans Day Parade in Pass Christian was hosted by the Gulf Coast Veterans Association back on November 11, 2023. (Photo credeit: Toni Miles)
Two cities. One mission.
The cities of Long Beach and Pass Christian are joining forces to host one Veterans Day Parade this year, an announcement made by Mosies Espinal, the President of the Gulf Coast Veterans Association, at the August 4 Long Beach Board of Aldermen meeting.
“Traditionally, we’ve done our Veterans Day Parade in Pass Christian. Going forward, we want to do one year in Long Beach and one year in Pass Christian, and rotate it like this to spread the love, right,” Espinal said. “For 2026, the Veterans Day National Committee has approved the City of Long Beach to be an Official Regional Veterans Day Observance Site.”
Espinal says that is a prestigious designation awarded to only a select number of communities across the United States each year. In recent years, he says approximately fifty-six communities nationwide have received this recognition, reflecting the exceptional community support, regional impact and commitment to honoring the nation’s veterans.
The parade, a joint collaboration between the Gulf Coast Veterans Association and the local non-profit Coast Cares Foundation, is set to take place on Saturday, November 7, in downtown Long Beach at 11 a.m.
Active military personnel, along with veterans, will be participating and attending the upcoming Veterans Day Parade in Long Beach. (Photo credit: Toni Miles)
“It is going to be a fun event,” Espinal said. “In the past, we’ve had roughly three-hundred to three-hundred-fifty service members and veterans marching in the parade, along with military vehicles from Keesler [Air Force base], Seabees, and the Army folks located down here. It should be a really fun event for the community.”
After the parade, the public is invited to join the festivities at the Harper McCaughan Town Green in downtown Long Beach, which will include food trucks, vendors, live music and more.
“We will be getting some veteran-owned vendors to set up shop along the Town Green, and we’re looking to get some food trucks out there, as well as some live music, and make it a celebration, obviously celebrating our veterans, our active duty service members, and our 250th year of existence as a nation.”
As with each year, the upcoming parade procession will include active military, veterans and veterans’ organizations, marching bands, law enforcement, first responders and others. The parade and festivities are free and open to the public.
The inaugural Veterans Day Parade in Pass Christian was hosted by the Gulf Coast Veterans Association back on November 11, 2023.
Mosies Espinal served as Parade Marshal (as seen here) at last year’s Veterans Day parade in Long Beach. Espinal addressed Long Beach City leaders about plans to combine the annual veterans parade into one event for the cities of Long Beach and Pass Christian. The parade is a joint collaboration between the Gulf Coast Veterans Association and the Coast Cares local non-profit group. (Photo credit: Toni Miles)
Mosies Espinal served as Parade Marshal at last year’s Veterans Day parade in Long Beach, which was held on November 9, two days before the official Veterans Day holiday.
This year’s November 7 parade occurs on a Saturday, four days before the official Veterans Day holiday on Wednesday, November 11.
The Gulf Coast Veterans Association is a local non-profit that focuses on celebrating veterans and active duty service members on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and helping those that are in need.
For more information about this year’s parade, or to sign up as a vendor for the festivities at the Town Green celebration, visit the Gulf Coast Veterans Association’s Facebook page or call 228-574-5395. To participate in the parade, Espinal recommends registering as early as possible at bit.ly/4g0uYp1.
