Veterans Day Celebrations In St. Petersburg + What's Closed

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The post office and most banks will be closed in St. Petersburg on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

Other Closings Include:

City of St. Petersburg City Hall and Municipal Services Center: Closed

Pinellas County Government Offices: Closed

All St. Petersburg Libraries: Closed

Pinellas County Parks: Open

Florida Botanical Gardens: Open

Weedon Island Preserve: Closed

Local Veterans Day Services

St. Petersburg Veterans Day Celebration: St. Petersburg Veterans Day celebration will include Mayor Rick Kriseman and other city officials honoring three veterans who have been nominated by locals for the Honored Veteran Award. The event is scheduled Thursday, Nov. 11 at 8 a.m., Williams Park Veterans Memorial, 330 Second Avenue North, St. Petersburg. It will also be streamed live at facebook.com/StPeteFL.

Veterans Day Bike Ride: Veterans will be honored with three separate rides starting at Fort DeSoto Park on Nov. 13. You can register here.

Dali Museum Free Admission: Veterans will be able to view art in the Salvador Dali Museum for free Thursday. You are allowed one guest, and remember to bring your valid proof of service ID. Dali is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday.

History of Veterans Day

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.

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.

Freebies/Discounts

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.

Other places, such as Golden Corral and Eat'n Park, have offers extended throughout November.

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.