Brooklyn Holds Two Veterans Parades
Two separate Veterans Appreciation Parades marched through Central Brooklyn on Saturday, after a 2023 route dispute split the event in two.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Civic
Brooklyn held two Veterans Appreciation Parades on Saturday, November 7, 2026, both starting at noon. The Brooklyn Veterans Appreciation Parade's resource fair was postponed due to threats of rain.
Why it matters
The split reflects a disagreement over a new route between VAGBSA CEO Christopher James and Brooklyn Community Boards 3 and 16. Both events continue a Central Brooklyn tradition that began in 2019 and returned in 2022 after a COVID pause.
The Veterans Appreciation Parade & Resource Fair is in its 8th annual edition, having begun in 2019 and returned in 2022 after a COVID pause. The 2026 resource fair for the Brooklyn Veterans Appreciation Parade has been postponed, with no new date given.
The players
Veterans Action Group Buffalo Soldiers of America (VAGBSA)
A veterans organization that co-founded the Brooklyn parade tradition in 2019 alongside Brooklyn Community Boards 3 and 16.
Christopher James
CEO of the Veterans Action Group Buffalo Soldiers of America, whose disagreement with community boards over a new route led to the 2023 split.
Brooklyn Community Boards 3 and 16
Local community boards that co-founded the parade in 2019 and took part in the 2023 route disagreement.
The details
The Veterans Appreciation Parade began in front of the Bright Light Baptist Church on Park Place in Ocean Hill and ended at PS 93 near Herkimer Street and Atlantic Avenue, where a free resource fair was open to the public. The Brooklyn Veterans Appreciation Parade ran from Rogers Avenue onto Eastern Parkway to Grand Army Plaza, and both included community leaders, veteran groups, school marching bands, Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps and dance troupes.
Timeline
2019: Parades began under Brooklyn Community Boards 3 and 16 and the Veterans Action Group Buffalo Soldiers of America.
2022: The parade returned after a COVID pause.
2023: The parade split into two after a disagreement over a new route.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: Both parades held, starting at noon.
Legal Context
The 2026 parades follow the 2019 founding under Brooklyn Community Boards 3 and 16 and the 2023 division over routing. The split marks a departure from the single parade that the founding partners originally organized.
Residents of Central Brooklyn can view the parade routes along Ralph Avenue, Fulton Street and Eastern Parkway as the 2026 events have already concluded. Those interested in the veterans resource fair should watch for an announcement on the rescheduled date for the postponed Brooklyn fair.
The takeaway
Community events that bring together veterans, local leaders and schools show how shared traditions can survive internal disagreements. Following the postponed resource fair date will be the next step for residents seeking veteran services.
Further reading
Explore more civic coverage across New York City to see how local events like these fit into the city's community life.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BKReader.
