Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11: the parade steps off at 11 a.m. in downtown Huntsville; Madison city offices and schools close and Thursday garbage moves.
Last checked Nov. 6, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: Veterans Day Parade and Events of North Alabama, the City of Madison calendar, the City of Huntsville, Madison County Waste Control’s 2026 holiday schedule and the Madison City Schools 2026-27 calendar.
Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. The area’s big public event is the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Huntsville, about five miles east of Madison, at 11 a.m. In Madison, City Hall and the schools close for the day, and the county’s garbage trucks run a day late.
Updated Nov. 6: the organizer has posted its 2026 parade route map, and dinner ticket sales closed Nov. 5. Huntsville’s road closure list is not out yet.
Veterans Day 2026 at a glance
- Parade: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, downtown Huntsville, free
- Pre-parade show: 10 to 11 a.m., 200 Monroe St., in front of Veterans Memorial Park
- Madison city offices: closed Nov. 11
- Madison City Schools: closed Nov. 11
- Thursday garbage in Madison: moves to Friday, Nov. 13
- Route map: posted by the organizer; road closures not yet published
The parade and its events
The parade and the events around it are run by Veterans Day Parade and Events of North Alabama, a volunteer nonprofit. Its 2026 schedule:
| When | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Noon Monday, Nov. 9 | Veterans Day proclamation signing, at the State of the City address | Von Braun Center, Huntsville |
| 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10 | Veterans Dinner, $60; ticket sales closed Nov. 5 | Von Braun Center, Saturn Ballroom |
| 8 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Veterans Day Breakfast, free for veterans | The Roundhouse, near Veterans Memorial Park |
| 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Pre-parade show with the 60-piece Huntsville Concert Band | 200 Monroe St., in front of Veterans Memorial Park |
| 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Veterans Day Parade | Downtown Huntsville |
The dinner starts with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., then dinner and the program from 6:30 p.m. It honors the newest Madison County Hall of Heroes inductees and the 2026 Huntsville Veteran of the Year, according to the organizer’s ticket page. Registration for groups marching in the parade has closed.
Route, road closures and parking
The organizer has posted its 2026 route map on its home page and describes this year’s route as new. The City of Huntsville had not published its road closure list as of Nov. 6; it usually does so in the days before the parade, and this page will add it.
For a sense of what to expect, the City of Huntsville’s 2025 notice said last year’s parade started on Monroe Street near the Huntsville Madison County Veterans Memorial and ran through and around Big Spring Park and the Von Braun Center arena, ending near Clinton Avenue and Heart of Huntsville Drive. Streets closed in phases from 8 a.m., all were closed by 10:30 a.m. and they reopened by 1 p.m. The I-565 exit to Jefferson Street was closed too. The 2026 route may differ.
From Madison, the trip is I-565 east into downtown. Plan to park early and walk in, and allow for the closed downtown exit if the city closes it again. Our road construction page carries current I-565 work in and around Madison.
What is closed in Madison
- City of Madison offices: closed all day Wednesday, Nov. 11, on the city calendar.
- Madison City Schools: no school Wednesday, Nov. 11, under the district’s 2026-27 calendar. Details on our schools page.
- Garbage: Madison County Waste Control closes Nov. 11 and shifts the rest of the week by a day, so Madison’s Thursday garbage is picked up Friday, Nov. 13. See our trash and recycling guide.
In Madison
The City of Madison had not listed a Veterans Day ceremony of its own on its calendar or Special Events page as of Nov. 6. Churches, schools, American Legion and VFW posts often hold their own; we list them once the organizer posts a date, time and place. Send yours through our contact page.
What this means for you
- To see the parade, be on Monroe Street in downtown Huntsville by 10 a.m. for the pre-parade show.
- Children are out of school on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and city offices are shut.
- Put the garbage cart out a day late that week: Friday, Nov. 13, for Thursday customers.
More guides: things to do this month, Thanksgiving in Madison and holiday lights and Christmas events.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Veterans Day parade near Madison in 2026?
The Veterans Day Parade runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in downtown Huntsville, after a pre-parade show from 10 to 11 a.m. at 200 Monroe St., in front of Veterans Memorial Park, according to the organizer, Veterans Day Parade and Events of North Alabama.
Is Madison City Hall open on Veterans Day?
No. The City of Madison’s calendar lists city offices as closed all day Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. Madison City Schools are also closed that day.
Does Veterans Day change trash pickup in Madison?
Yes. Madison County Waste Control closes Nov. 11 and shifts the rest of the week by a day, so Madison’s Thursday garbage is collected Friday, Nov. 13.
What is the 2026 Veterans Day parade route in Huntsville?
The organizer has posted a 2026 route map on its home page and calls this year’s route new. The City of Huntsville had not published its 2026 road closure list as of Nov. 6. In 2025 the parade started on Monroe Street near the Huntsville Madison County Veterans Memorial and looped around Big Spring Park and the Von Braun Center arena, the city said.
Have your say