By Christine Almarines | Published September 2026 | Updated October 19, 2026
Veterans Day 2026 falls on Wednesday, November 11. Here are the Veterans Day Orange County ceremonies and observances, plus the ones just over the line in Los Angeles County, starting closest to Cerritos and Buena Park. Each one is marked confirmed (the city or organizer has posted 2026 details), listed (an event listing shows it but the city page has no details yet), or not posted yet. Details are current as of October 19.
Quick answer
Cerritos holds its Veterans Day commemoration on Wednesday, November 11 at 10am at the Civic Center, and the city has posted it. Several other observances fall on a different day: Buena Park’s honor lunch is Wednesday, November 4, and Artesia and La Palma are on Saturday, November 7. Long Beach and the OC Fairgrounds’ Heroes Hall are on Saturdays too (November 7 and November 14).
Before you plan around any ceremony, confirm the time with the city. Phone numbers are listed below. A few times, such as Mission Viejo and Santa Fe Springs, still haven’t been posted.
Veterans Day Orange County Ceremonies: 2026 Dates at a Glance
| Ceremony | City | 2026 date & time | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Park Veterans Honor Lunch | Buena Park | Wed, Nov 4, 12pm | Confirmed. Registration required |
| Artesia Veteran’s Day Celebration | Artesia | Sat, Nov 7, 10am-1pm | Confirmed |
| La Palma Veterans Day Ceremony | La Palma | Sat, Nov 7 (time to confirm) | Date listed. Call about RSVP |
| Long Beach Veterans Day Celebration | Long Beach | Sat, Nov 7, 12-4pm | Listed. Free |
| Hawaiian Gardens Veterans Day Ceremony | Hawaiian Gardens | Fri, Nov 6 (time to confirm) | On the city calendar. Call first |
| Norwalk Veterans Recognition Ceremony | Norwalk | Tue, Nov 10 (time to confirm) | Confirmed date |
| Cerritos Veterans Day Commemoration | Cerritos | Wed, Nov 11, 10am | Confirmed |
| Placentia Veterans Day Ceremony | Placentia | Wed, Nov 11, 10-11am | Listed |
| Paramount Veterans Celebration | Paramount | Wed, Nov 11, 10-11:30am | Confirmed. Lunch after |
| VA Long Beach Healthcare System | Long Beach | Wed, Nov 11, 10am-2pm | Listed by the VA |
| Norwalk Veterans Day Ceremony | Norwalk | Wed, Nov 11 (time to confirm) | Confirmed date |
| Irvine Veterans Day Ceremony | Irvine | Wed, Nov 11, 11am-12:30pm | Listed. Free |
| 37th Annual Veterans Day Program | Lake Forest | Wed, Nov 11, 11am | Confirmed. Rain or shine |
| SFV Veterans Day Parade | Pacoima | Wed, Nov 11, 11:11am | Confirmed |
| Mission Viejo Ceremony and Resource Fair | Mission Viejo | Wed, Nov 11 (time not posted) | Date listed |
| Yorba Linda Veterans Day Ceremony | Yorba Linda | Wed, Nov 11, 2pm | Listed. Details to come |
| Santa Fe Springs Veterans Day Program | Santa Fe Springs | Wed, Nov 11 (time not posted) | On the city events page |
| Heroes Hall Veterans Day Celebration | Costa Mesa | Sat, Nov 14, 12-3pm | Listed by the OC Fair. Call to confirm |
Veterans Day Orange County Ceremonies Closest to Cerritos and Buena Park
Cerritos Veterans Day Commemoration
Cerritos Civic Center near the Veterans Memorial, 18125 Bloomfield Avenue, Wednesday, November 11 at 10am. The city’s program includes patriotic music, remarks from City Council members and dignitaries, a wreath laying and a moment of silence. It is held rain or shine, and free parking is available at the Civic Center. The city posted this on October 9. Questions: City Hall at 562-860-0311. cerritos.gov
Buena Park Veterans Honor Lunch & Resource Fair
Veterans Memorial at the Ehlers Event Center, 8150 Knott Avenue, Wednesday, November 4 at noon. Lunch and a resource fair for local veterans. Register by phone at 714-236-3870, by email at seniors@buenapark.com, or in person at the Buena Park Senior Center. The city’s page does not state a cost, and one event guide says registration closes October 23, so call soon. This is Buena Park’s main observance; no separate November 11 ceremony is posted. buenapark.com
Artesia Veteran’s Day Celebration
Artesia Park, 18750 Clarkdale Avenue, Saturday, November 7, 10am to 1pm. A community celebration with veteran services booths. The city’s page does not state an admission price. Parks & Recreation: 562-860-3361. cityofartesia.us
La Palma Veterans Day Ceremony
The City of La Palma lists a Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, November 7. Earlier city information placed it at the La Palma Community Center at Central Park, 7821 Walker Street, at 11am, with an RSVP required and veterans given priority. I could not re-confirm the time or whether RSVPs are still open, so call City Hall at 714-690-3300 (open Monday through Thursday) before you go. lapalmaca.gov
Norwalk Veterans Day Events
The City of Norwalk confirms two 2026 events: a Veterans Recognition ceremony on Tuesday, November 10 and a Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday, November 11. The city page does not post times or venues. Earlier information pointed to the Norwalk Cultural Arts Center, 13200 Clarkdale Avenue, from 11am to 1pm on November 11 (arrive by 10:45am), and the Norwalk Senior Center, 14040 San Antonio Drive, from 3:30 to 5pm on November 10. Treat those as last known details and confirm with Recreation at 562-929-5566. The Arts & Sports Complex closes at 4pm on November 11. norwalk.org
Paramount Veterans Celebration
Paramount Armed Forces Memorial, 16400 Colorado Avenue, Wednesday, November 11, 10 to 11:30am. Challenge coins are distributed, and lunch follows at the American Legion, 7550 Somerset Boulevard. Questions: 562-220-2121. Paramount has had an older event page with a 2025 date, so use this one: paramountcity.gov
More Veterans Day Orange County Ceremonies
Placentia Veterans Day Ceremony
Civic Center Veterans Monument, 401 E. Chapman Avenue, Wednesday, November 11, 10 to 11am, from a 2026 Orange County event listing. The city’s own page has no details yet, so call City Hall at 714-993-8117 to confirm. Event listing
Irvine Veterans Day Ceremony
Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza, Wednesday, November 11, 11am to 12:30pm, free, from a 2026 event listing. Check the city’s page for a weather plan. A separate Veterans of the Year Celebration is listed for Thursday, November 12 at 6pm at the Los Olivos Community Center, 101 Alfonso, with an RSVP required. Event listing
37th Annual Veterans Day Program – El Toro Memorial Park
25751 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest, Wednesday, November 11 at 11am. Hosted with VFW Post 6024, with a color guard, wreath presentations and a rifle salute. Held rain or shine. occemeterydistrict.specialdistrict.org
Mission Viejo Veterans Day Ceremony and Resource Fair
Norman P. Murray Community & Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Wednesday, November 11. The city lists a ceremony and veteran resources fair, but the start time has not been posted. Call 949-470-3061. Earlier information said the ceremony includes sign language interpretation; ask the city to confirm. missionviejo.gov
Yorba Linda Veterans Day Ceremony
Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial, 4766 Valley View Avenue, Wednesday, November 11 at 2pm, with more details to come. The time comes from an event listing rather than the city, so confirm before you go. yorbalindaveteransmemorial.com
Santa Fe Springs Veterans Day Program
Town Center Plaza, 11740 Telegraph Road, Wednesday, November 11. It is on the city’s events page, but no start time has been posted. Call 562-868-0511. santafesprings.gov
VA Long Beach Healthcare System
Lot F2, 5901 E. Seventh Street, Wednesday, November 11, 10am to 2pm, on the VA’s events listing. va.gov
San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade
The parade steps off at 11:11am on Wednesday, November 11 from Laurel Canyon and San Fernando Mission Boulevards and ends at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, 10736 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Pacoima. sfvveteransdayparade.com
Heroes Hall – OC Fairgrounds
Heroes Hall Museum & Education Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. The OC Fair lists a Veterans Day Celebration on Saturday, November 14, 12 to 3pm, with an opening aircraft flyover, live music, family activities and free hot dogs and chips. Note that this is the Saturday after Veterans Day. The listing shows no year and no admission price, so call 714-708-1500 to confirm. ocfair.com
Long Beach Veterans Day Celebration
Houghton Park, 6301 Myrtle Avenue, Saturday, November 7, 12 to 4pm. Free and family friendly. The city’s page has a year mismatch in its text, so confirm with the city before you go. ADA parking and paratransit drop-off are on Harding Street between Atlantic and Myrtle. longbeach.gov
Hawaiian Gardens Veterans Day Ceremony
C. Robert Lee Activity Center, 21815 Pioneer Boulevard. The city’s 2026 events calendar lists the ceremony on Friday, November 6, with a registration link, rather than November 11. No time was visible, so call 562-420-2641 first. hgcity.org
Veterans Day Orange County Ceremonies Not Posted Yet
These cities have not posted 2026 details that I could find as of October 19. Most calendars fill in during the last two weeks of October, and the year-to-year patterns are below only as a guide, not as 2026 times.
- Anaheim – Anaheim Veterans Monument, 241 S. Anaheim Boulevard. In 2025 the tribute was at 11am. Nothing for 2026 yet.
- Fullerton – Hillcrest Park Veterans Memorial. The 2025 schedule was a 9am parade and a 10am ceremony at the War Memorial. No 2026 details yet; special events at 714-738-6587.
- Huntington Beach – no official 2026 listing found. Check the city and the Pier Plaza listings in early November.
- Downey – Columbia Memorial Space Center, 12400 Columbia Way, has been the site in past years. Its calendar shows nothing for November 11 yet; call 562-231-1200.
- Whittier – Central Park, 13212 Park Street. In 2025 the ceremony ran 10am to noon on November 11. Nothing posted for 2026 yet.
- La Mirada – no 2026 listing found. Call the city at 562-943-7277.
- Carson – no 2026 listing found from an official source.
- Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills – 6300 Forest Lawn Drive, Los Angeles. The 2026 program has not been announced. The 2025 event was the 66th annual, held outside the Hall of Liberty on November 11. Check forestlawn.com.
Accessibility and Parking
Almost no organizer publishes this, so here is what has actually been posted:
- Long Beach – ADA parking and paratransit drop-off on Harding Street between Atlantic and Myrtle.
- Cerritos – free parking at the Civic Center.
- Heroes Hall – family activities and food are listed; call 714-708-1500 for access details.
For every other ceremony, call the organizer before you go if mobility, seating or shade matters. Mission Viejo and Yorba Linda have mentioned sign language interpretation and a shade tent in the past; ask them to confirm for 2026.
What I Could and Could Not Confirm
Veterans Day Orange County listings get copied forward year to year, so some of what circulates is wrong. Here is what I found as of October 19:
- Los Angeles National Cemetery – the VA’s page for the cemetery lists no Veterans Day ceremony. Call 310-268-4675 before planning around an event there. Wreaths Across America is listed for December 19, 2026 at 9am and 12pm.
- Cities with no 2026 ceremony listing that I could find: Newport Beach, Westminster, Cypress, Lakewood, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Bellflower. That means nothing is posted, not that nothing will happen. Lakewood’s city page only says City Hall is closed on November 11. Check each city’s calendar in early November.
- Be careful with “Lakewood” searches. Results can point to Lakewood, Ohio or Lakewood, Colorado.
- Federal sites – national cemeteries and similar sites can change plans, so confirm before you go.
Veteran Admission and Meals
Veterans Day is a commemoration rather than a promotion, so this is deliberately short. I could not find a 2026 free-admission announcement for the Nixon Library; past years offered one, so call 714-993-5075 before you plan around it. Several national restaurant chains run long-standing free-meal programs that day. Check the restaurant’s own website in early November, since most post their offer and ID requirements a week or two ahead.
Veterans Day Orange County FAQ
When is Veterans Day 2026?
Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Several nearby cities hold their ceremonies on a different day: Buena Park on Wednesday, November 4, Artesia and La Palma on Saturday, November 7, Hawaiian Gardens on Friday, November 6, and Norwalk adds a recognition ceremony on Tuesday, November 10.
Is there a Veterans Day ceremony in Cerritos?
Yes. The city’s Veterans Day Commemoration is on Wednesday, November 11 at 10am at the Cerritos Civic Center, 18125 Bloomfield Avenue, near the Veterans Memorial. It includes patriotic music, remarks, a wreath laying and a moment of silence, runs rain or shine, and has free parking at the Civic Center.
What is Buena Park doing for Veterans Day 2026?
Buena Park’s main observance is the Veterans Honor Lunch and Resource Fair at the Ehlers Event Center, 8150 Knott Avenue, on Wednesday, November 4 at noon. Register at 714-236-3870, by email at seniors@buenapark.com, or at the Buena Park Senior Center. One event guide says registration closes October 23, so call soon.
Which ceremonies are on November 11 itself?
Cerritos at 10am, Placentia from 10 to 11am, Paramount from 10 to 11:30am, VA Long Beach from 10am to 2pm, Irvine from 11am to 12:30pm, El Toro Memorial Park in Lake Forest at 11am, the San Fernando Valley Parade at 11:11am and Yorba Linda at 2pm. Norwalk, Mission Viejo and Santa Fe Springs also hold theirs on November 11, with times not yet posted.
Are any Veterans Day Orange County ceremonies wheelchair accessible or interpreted?
Few organizers publish this. Long Beach posts ADA parking and paratransit drop-off, and Cerritos has free parking at the Civic Center. For anything else, call the organizer ahead of time.
Does Los Angeles National Cemetery hold a Veterans Day ceremony?
No Veterans Day ceremony is listed on the VA’s page for Los Angeles National Cemetery. Call 310-268-4675 to confirm before planning a visit around an event.
Do I need to register for any of these?
Buena Park’s honor lunch requires registration at 714-236-3870. Irvine’s Veterans of the Year Celebration on November 12 lists an RSVP, and Hawaiian Gardens shows a registration link. La Palma has required an RSVP in the past, so call City Hall at 714-690-3300 to check. The others do not list a requirement.
Honoring Local Veterans
If you know of a Veterans Day Orange County ceremony that belongs on this list, or your organization is holding one, let me know and I’ll add it.
I’ll update this guide again in early November, once the remaining cities post their 2026 times.
If you’d like to talk about your next move in Southern California real estate, I’d be happy to help.
