Virtual parades and digital exhibits mark Veterans Day in Fresno, Clovis this year

The streets of downtown Fresno will be relatively quiet Wednesday without the revelry of the city’s annual Veterans Day parade.

Still, organizers consider the event, in its 101st year, the “last Veterans parade standing.”

In September, it was announced the Central Valley Veterans Day Parade could not happen in typical fashion due to state and local restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Rather than cancel the event altogether, organizers put together a two-hour-plus virtual parade, with all the groups that would normally march in the parade along with elected representatives from the city and state.

Segments were recorded over six weeks by a professional photographer who met with the groups in small batches to keep with COVID-19 safety recommendations.

The final product can be seen at noon Wednesday on CMAC — Comcast 93, AT&T 99, www.cmac.tv, or the Cablecast app on Roku and Apple TV — or on the parade’s official Facebook page.

Clovis Veterans Memorial District hosts virtual concert, tribute

Clovis Veterans Memorial District is hosting a pair of virtual events Wednesday.

That includes a patriotic concert watch party at 11 a.m. and a 6 p.m. salute to veterans. Both events can be found on the district’s Facebook page and on YouTube.

The district is also currently hosting a digital exhibit in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. The interactive “Women in Military” exhibit features a timeline of historic events with photos and video, along with biographies of important figures.

Celebrations across the North Valley

Merced County’s annual Veterans Day Parade also got the virtual treatment.

The parade, which typically has people lining West Main Street in Merced, is being done in video form, with interviews with grand marshals and a message from Rep. Jim Costa. It can be seen starting at 1 p.m. on Comcast 97, AT&T 99 and on Facebook and YouTube.

Several drive-thru and drive-in style events are being hosted in the Modesto area, including a movie double feature screening of “The D.I.” and “Good Morning, Vietnam.”

Marine Corps birthday

The Marine Corps League Kings County detachment celebrated the 245th anniversary of the Marines on Tuesday with a socially distanced ceremony that included the 16 area veteran’s “family flags” to be honored on Memorial Day 2021.

This story was originally published November 10, 2020 at 10:41 AM.