Canyon of Heroes parade planned for Iraq, Afghanistan war veterans - Newsday
New York City will host a ticker-tape parade next summer for veterans of the post-9/11 wars — Iraq and Afghanistan — and their families, Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday.
The parade, scheduled for July 6, 2026, is "a historic tribute recognizing the extraordinary service, sacrifice, and resilience of a generation that bore the weight of America’s longest war," Adams’ office said in a news release issued Thursday.
Adams is calling it the "Homecoming of Heroes."
The city’s veterans services commissioner, James Hendon, said in the release: "For the post-9/11 generation of combat veterans and their families, this march down Broadway is a symbol of belonging, of closure, and of collective pride. We served through two decades of war. Now, together, we write the next chapter — one of unity, recognition, and possibility."
Specifics of the parade are forthcoming, but it’ll be held in lower Manhattan along the Canyon of Heroes — the classic route from the Battery to City Hall.
The Canyon of Heroes has hosted over 200 parades since the first one, on Oct. 28, 1886, to dedicate the Statue of Liberty, according to the Alliance for Downtown New York. Honorees have included war heroes, kings, soldiers, presidents, a pope, sea captains, a concert pianist and sports champions such as the Liberty women’s basketball team last year.
New York City will host a ticker-tape parade next summer for veterans of the post-9/11 wars — Iraq and Afghanistan — and their families, Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday.
The parade, scheduled for July 6, 2026, is "a historic tribute recognizing the extraordinary service, sacrifice, and resilience of a generation that bore the weight of America’s longest war," Adams’ office said in a news release issued Thursday.
The city’s veterans services commissioner, James Hendon, said in the release: "For the post-9/11 generation of combat veterans and their families, this march down Broadway is a symbol of belonging, of closure, and of collective pride. We served through two decades of war. Now, together, we write the next chapter — one of unity, recognition, and possibility."
Specifics of the parade are forthcoming, but it’ll be held in lower Manhattan along the Canyon of Heroes — the classic route from the Battery to City Hall.
The Canyon of Heroes has hosted over 200 parades since the first one, on Oct. 28, 1886, to dedicate the Statue of Liberty, according to the Alliance for Downtown New York. Honorees have included war heroes, kings, soldiers, presidents, a pope, sea captains, a concert pianist and sports champions such as the Liberty women’s basketball team last year.
