Grand Rapids Honors Veterans With Downtown Parade
Dozens gathered downtown for the city's annual Veterans Day parade, which included cadets marching on Wednesday.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Military
Dozens of people gathered in downtown Grand Rapids for the city's annual Veterans Day parade on Wednesday. Participants included cadets and residents honoring those who have served, including Navy veteran Curtis West.
Why it matters
The parade gives the community a shared public occasion to recognize military service and the personal sacrifices behind it. Stories shared along the route, such as that of a local soldier who died in Iraq more than two decades ago, keep those losses present for residents.
Dozens of people attended the Wednesday parade, which the extraction does not quantify further. No attendance figures for prior years were reported, so the event's scale over time remains unclear.
The players
Eric Burri
A soldier who served in Iraq and died June 7, 2005, whose dog tag was found in a facility parking lot more than 20 years later.
Curtis West
A Navy veteran who took part in the Grand Rapids Veterans Day observances.
The details
Downtown Grand Rapids hosted its annual Veterans Day parade on Wednesday, with cadets marching among the participants. A local family's story drew attention: John Burri's brother found a dog tag belonging to Eric Burri, who served in Iraq and died June 7, 2005, in a facility parking lot and called John by phone.
Timeline
June 7, 2005: Eric Burri died while serving in Iraq.
Wednesday afternoon: John Burri's brother found Eric Burri's dog tag and notified John by phone.
Wednesday evening: The Veterans Day parade was held in downtown Grand Rapids.
Season Trajectory
The Grand Rapids parade continues the city's annual Veterans Day observance, a recurring civic tradition on the November 11 calendar. The story extends that tradition rather than marking any departure from it.
Residents and visitors to downtown Grand Rapids may encounter parade-related traffic and crowds on Veterans Day. The event offers a public chance to attend and observe the city's commemorations.
The takeaway
Local ceremonies like this one keep the stories of individual service members, including those lost decades ago, part of the community's shared memory. Attending or learning about these observances is a simple way to recognize the people behind the holiday.
Further reading
For more on how service members and their families are recognized, explore Military coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WOODTV.
