Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade celebrates 100 years

We are more then a week away from Veterans Day but here in Colorado Springs we begin the festivities a little early

Today , the Colorado Springs Veterans Day parade marched through Tejon Street for a little over an hour. “We had initially anticipated around 40 thousand spectators,” said Lonny Barrett an adviser for the parade and twenty year Navy veteran. “I don’t know if the weather is cooperating with that number.”

It’s been 18 years since Troops first marched in downtown Colorado Springs for Veterans Day. However, this year is a bit different. This year is the holiday’s 100th anniversary.

For Barrett, Veterans Day means a little more around these parts.

“With five bases in the area Colorado Springs has a huge veteran population. They get stationed here they fall in love with the place they end up coming back and staying here. I did,” said Barrett.

Many got to come out to downtown Colorado Springs to see friends and family march.

“My granddaughtear is marching for the first time for Mesa Ridge high school she’s with the Navy ROTC,” Lisa Aganon.

Aganon comes from Guam where their is a large military, and military life is an important part of their islands culture. For her, seeing her march during Veterans Day makes her emotional. “Having her march, I just think she’ll be the next generation of Navy. It honors my father but it also honors my island,” said Aganon. Parade officials tell us they work on the parade for ten months out of the year, and the parade lasts for a little over an hour.