TAMPA — Veterans Day lands on a Wednesday this year, which means a midweek day off for a lot of Tampa Bay families and a short list of places to go if you want to say thank you in person.
Here's where the main ceremonies are, what's closed, and one thing that catches parents off guard: not every local school district takes the day off.
Hillsborough's tribute at Veterans Memorial Park
The biggest local observance is Hillsborough County's 62nd Annual Veterans Day Tribute, at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Veterans Memorial Park and the Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins Jr. Veterans Museum, 3602 N. U.S. 301 in Tampa. It's free, and so is parking.
This year's program marks the country's 250th anniversary. The county says it includes a JROTC color guard, the Veterans Council awards, a sing-along salute to each branch of the military, and special guests retired Coast Guard Rear Adm. Steve Poulin and retired Army Col. Roland Tiso, according to the county's announcement. Refreshments follow, along with tables from James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, the YMCA Military Program and the county's Veteran Community Services office.
The VA has named the park an official Regional Veterans Day Site for the 10th year in a row. The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., so you can walk the monuments after the ceremony, including the new Buffalo Soldiers Memorial and the Gold Star Memorial. Questions go to the county at 813-635-8316.
For a sense of scale: Hillsborough has 94,334 veterans, the most of any county in Florida, the county says, citing VA figures.
St. Pete moves its ceremony to the airport
St. Petersburg's 13th annual Veterans Day ceremony starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the terminal hangar at Albert Whitted Airport, 540 First St. SE, a new spot this year, St. Pete Now reported. Mayor Ken Welch will present the city's Honored Veteran Award to retired Army Lt. Col. Hardy W. Bryan and retired Marine Eddie Pringle.
Parking is on the street along both sides of First Street SE between Fourth and Eighth avenues south, first come, first served. Get there early.
Oldsmar reads new names on its Veterans Wall
Oldsmar holds its ceremony from 11 a.m. to noon at Veterans Memorial Park, 250 Shore Drive E., on the water. The city reads the names newly added to its Veterans Wall.
No Hanley Road parade this year
If you've gone to the Tampa Bay Veterans Parade on Hanley Road in past years, don't head out for it. Organizers have announced a permanent hiatus, saying on the parade's website they couldn't keep enough staff to meet their safety standards. Some event listings online still show the old route and times.
School: off in Hillsborough and Pinellas, open in Pasco
- Hillsborough County schools: No school. It's a non-student day on the district calendar. The district also lists Nov. 11 as a backup hurricane make-up day, but students stay home unless the district activates it.
- Pinellas County schools: No school, with the same make-up-day caveat.
- Pasco County schools: Open. Pasco holds a regular school day Wednesday, according to a statewide roundup of district calendars. Sarasota schools are open too.
What's closed Wednesday
- City of Tampa: All city offices are closed, according to the city's calendar. Home trash pickup doesn't change because city residential routes don't run on Wednesdays. The McKay Bay Transfer Station is closed and reopens Thursday.
- Hillsborough County: Most county offices are closed, and most public libraries are closed too. Check the library holiday schedule before you go.
- Pinellas County: County offices are closed, including the tax collector, property appraiser, clerk and elections office. Animal Services' adoption center is closed and no building inspections happen. County parks and preserves stay open 7 a.m. to sunset, and the Solid Waste Disposal Complex is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the county's closure notice. Pinellas and Pasco courts are closed except for first appearances and emergencies.
- Mail and banks: Veterans Day is a federal holiday, so post offices are closed and there's no regular mail delivery. Most banks close as well.
Everything reopens on its normal schedule Thursday, Nov. 12.