“Although it’s a different route this year because of the Downtown Streetscape project in historic downtown Branson, a longstanding patriotic tradition will continue uninterrupted, when on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the ’81st Branson Veterans Day Parade starts,'” said Annette Wood, the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Branson Tourism Center. She points out that the new parade route will be moving in a counter clock-wise direction starting and ending at the south parking lot of the Branson Convention Center.
It will exit the convention center parking lot and turn south on Sycamore Street to intersection with Long Street where it will turn east, cross the railroad tracks and turn north onto Branson Landing Boulevard. The parade continues north on Branson Landing Boulevard, the entire length of Branson Landing, to the intersection of Commercial Street where it will turn onto Commercial Street. At the intersection of Commercial and Atlantic Streets it turns east for one block where it turns south on Sycamore Street to the south convention center parking lot where the parade ends near where it began.
Wood points out that traffic along the immediate parade route will be impacted from at least 9:00 a.m. until about 3:00 p.m. for set up, the parade and cleanup. She suggest allowing extra time to find parking and get a good spot to watch the parade. It should be pointed out that most of the better viewing areas, although on level ground themselves, are located “downhill” from the long and fairly level viewing area that was available on Commercial Street for past parades. One “level” combination would be to park in either the Bass Pro or Belk parking lot at Branson Landing and view the parade from Branson Landing Boulevard. It might involve a little walking, but it will, for the most part, be level.
Wood points out that the parade is just one of many special events and activities during America’s biggest Veterans Day tribute, “Branson Veterans Homecoming Week”, an annual event running from Nov. 5 through Nov. 11 that honors America’s Veterans, active duty personal and their families. Click here for a schedule of most major events and more information.