Veterans Day In Denver: How To Honor Military Personnel

DENVER, CO — The post office and most banks will be closed in Denver on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces. Denver's city government offices will also be closed Thursday.

Some Veterans Day events in Denver's metro area include the Fairmount Cemetery Veterans Tour at 10 a.m., the Riverside Cemetery Veterans Tour (also at 10 a.m.) and the Denver Veterans Day Run, which you can participate in virtually any day or in-person this Saturday.

Veterans Day, commemorated annually on Nov. 11, was first celebrated in 1919 to honor those who fought in World War I. It was initially called Armistice Day and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

The holiday’s origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

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It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly following the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II, after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

While some ceremonies, parades and services may be canceled or altered as the coronavirus pandemic continues, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active-military members.

Applebee’s, Bob Evans and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States.