HARTFORD — Organizers say that the Connecticut Veterans Parade will not be held this coming November.
The Connecticut Veterans Fund which coordinated the annual parade in Hartford, cites the high cost of running the event and the increasing difficulty in raising funds to produce it as factors.
President of the Connecticut Veteran’s Fun Ray Lilley said in a statement:
“This was a difficult decision for our committee to make because the parade has been a labor of love for all of us. But the rising costs of producing an event of this magnitude, combined with funding challenges, and the dwindling number of spectators who come out to cheer on a cold November day has brought us to this conclusion. We are grateful to the planning committee, comprised of many veteran service organizations (VSOs), the State of Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, and thousands of individual veterans for their participation and support since 2000, the very first year of the parade.”
Lilley and the committee encourage all veterans service organizations, service groups, and individuals to participate in local annual Veterans Day observances this year. They also urge the public to attend those events to express their gratitude for the service women and men.
