BY: Liliana Rocio, Senior Editor for World Liberty TV, @ 25th Street and 5th Ave NYC, Wed Nov 11th 2026

NASA astronaut and Navy veteran, as well as this year’s parade Grand Marshal, Suni Williams, reiterated the idea that the tragedy invigorated the nation’s motivation to serve.

“People are stronger, people are better, people are leading, people are creative and we are showing the world that we can come back even better.

And that’s a large part because of our veterans — our military today — all over the world today showing what a great country we are,” said Williams.

Mayor Mamdani joined Public Advocate Jumaane Williams at another service at Madison Park that kicked off the annual parade.

This year’s march down Fifth Avenue featured more than 20,000 marchers, including active-duty service members, military families, veterans and community organizations from across the country, as well as over 280 marching units, 25 floats and 150 vehicles.

Thousands of spectators were on hand to show their support for the veterans and carried the parade through with ravenous cheers.

In a very brief speech, Mayor Mamdani, pledged to advocate for military veterans as they return to life in the Big Apple carrying the weight of the battlefield.

“We will recommit ourselves to building a city that is worthy of their sacrifice. One where every veteran has a safe place to sleep.

Every veteran can find a well-paying job, receive a good education and the medical care they need and live a life of dignity in New York City,” Mamdani said.

It is the biggest celebration of this holiday in the United States as a whole.  Service members will march up Fifth Avenue in honor of their service to the country.

Each year, over 25,000 people show up to march on 5th Avenue to 50th Street forever, bringing together veterans, families, and supporters from across the country.

This year, Mark Otto, President and Executive Director of the United War Veterans Council and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has chosen several American heroes to highlight who embody everything Veterans Day honors.

One of these Patriots is NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams, who is this year’s Grand Marshal of the 2026 NYC Veterans Day Parade.

“Her dedication and service embody the values we honor each Veterans Day,” said Mark Otto.  Captain Williams is a retired Navy captain and has been a part of several space missions aboard the International Space Station as a flight engineer for Expedition 14, Expedition 15, Expedition 32, and Expedition 71, and served as the commander of Expedition 33 and Expedition 72.

Another highlighted honoree is Navy Veteran and native New Yorker, Vicky Bello, who served as a Radioman throughout the 80s, including Adak, Alaska, and Ford Island, Hawaii, where she is now the Manager of Community and Veterans Programs for the Theatre Development Fund.

This year Vicki Bello will serve as the honorary marshal for the parade, where she had this to say,  “It is an incredible honor to be named an Honorary Marshal of the New York City Veterans Day Parade.

And I look forward to marching alongside the men and women who have served our country as we celebrate their service, sacrifice, and contributions to our communities,”.

Each year the parade features participants from every service branch of the military and includes thousands of veterans, military members, service organizations, and youth cadets.

As well as marching bands, floats, motorcycles, and vintage vehicles honoring veterans of the past, present, and future, military leaders, foreign allies, and public officials alike.

Prior to the parade in Madison Square Park, the annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony took place, with wreaths presented by veteran representatives, public officials, foreign allies, and senior military leaders.

Many political leaders in attendance, including Mayor Mamdani, Jumaane williams, New York City Public Advocate, Jessica Tisch, NYPD Police Commissioner, Lillian Bonsignore, New York City Fire Commissioner, New York City Veterans  Commissioner newly appointed Yesenia Mata and so many more political leaders in attendance throughout the nation.

About The United War Veterans Council (UWVC), organizers of Parade: The United War Veterans Council (UWVC) traces its lineage back to groups founded by veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898).

These groups continued activities and traditions established by veterans of the Revolution and the War of 1812.

The modern UWVC was revived in 1985 by a group of Vietnam veterans, initially for the purposes of salvaging the New York City Veterans Day Parade, which was on the verge of extinction.

Today, that Parade has grown into the largest Veterans Day event in the nation, drawing tens of thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators.

Going forward, the UWVC is being led by our latest generation of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Post-9/11 veterans.

We are building on past successes by focusing our efforts on our Health and Wellness Programs, and Legacy and Education Initiatives. Our goal is to ensure that the UWVC will continue to honor, support, and serve veterans for years to come.

See more about New York City Veterans Day Parade-2026, in our World Liberty TV, Channels by clicking here.