Cape Cod residents and towns to mark Veterans Day 2021 with these events

The federal holiday of Veterans Day is on Thursday, an honor legalized on Nov. 11

in 1938, originally as Armistice Day. The timing marks the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when an armistice was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in World War I.

The day has long been dedicated to American veterans of all wars, and there are various ways to thank the veterans and honor their service. Those include:

Events and programs

Bourne field of flags

The annual Operation Flags for Vets, created by the SFC. Jared C. Monti Charitable Foundation, held an honor program Nov. 6 and hosted volunteers who set up 80,000 flags at gravesites at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. The field of flags will be on view all week. The organization also needs help taking the flags down, and is looking for volunteers to assist at 10 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 14 to close out the project. Information: https://www.facebook.com/SFCJCM.

South Dennis Field of Honor

The ninth annual Field of Honor will be on display through Nov. 15 at Johnny Kelley Park, 180 Old Bass River Road. The display features 400 3-by-5-foot American flags to honor “those who have worn the military uniforms of the United States while serving to defend our freedom at home and around the world.”

The display is sponsored by AMVETS Post 333 and the Dennis Field of Honor committee, and offers Cape residents the opportunity to dedicate a flag in honor of a chosen hero. Proceeds will benefit Emerald Hollow Therapeutic Riding Center and Heroes in Transition.

There is no charge to visit the display. Dedicated flags will be retained by sponsors at the conclusion of the event to be presented, flown, or kept as a memento.

Barnstable thank-you event

There will be a Veterans Day drive-thru thank-you event from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary’s Church, 3055 Main St. in Barnstable. Veterans and their families will be able to, from the safety of their cars, have a flag placed on Route 6A with a veteran’s name; receive a free cup of coffee and pastry; enjoy patriotic music; get a goodie bag provided by the Cape Cod VetCenter in Hyannis; and, for the first 50 veterans, get a gift card for the Hearth 'n Kettle restaurants.

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Hyannis town hall with veterans

The Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center will hold its fourth annual Veterans Town Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at Barnstable Town Hall, 367 Main St. It will include a buffet luncheon.

During the event, veterans who have served in any capacity are invited to speak for up to 10 minutes on what it was like to serve their community. The general public is invited to listen to the stories and support the veterans.

Board member Gina Giambusso said in an announcement that the event allows veterans to release pent-up emotions, so this type of Veterans Day remembrance is “much deeper and more meaningful than just saying thank you for your service.”

The event, according to information from the group, was originated by “War” author Sebastian Junger and Congressman Seth Moulton, a U.S. Marine veteran who served four tours in Iraq, with the intention of expanding knowledge of the experience of war to the public.

Former Marine Joseph K. Taylor, outreach center executive director, pointed out that less than 1% of U.S. citizens serve in the military. The event “allows the veterans to turn around and pass on to the non-veteran community what they’ve experienced, both good and bad, unfortunately.”

Information: https://capeveterans.com/event/fourth-annual-barnstable-veterans-town-hall/.

On Friday, an event to benefit the One Call Away Foundation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at Finn's Craft Beer Taphouse, 16 Barnstable Road in Hyannis. There will be live music raffle items and wine samples provided by Josh Cellars Wines. The foundation's mission is to raise public awareness of PTSD among veterans, suicide prevention and provide financial aid when needed.

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Osterville remembrance walk

There will be a Veterans Day Walk at 11 a.m. Thursday starting at the Calvin C. Gould Library Green at the Osterville Village Library, 43 Wianno Ave. The casual walk will follow a path between the village’s nine monuments honoring veterans. There have been veterans from Osterville in every war since the Civil War. The walk is designed as a way to honor veterans, and hear and share their stories.

Information on the walk: ostervillevillagelibrary.org or 508-428-5757.

Provincetown program

The Veteran’s Day program for Provincetown will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday on MacMillan Pier. During the program, there will be a memorial wreath to honor all service members as well as a wreath cast upon the sea to honor those who served in the seagoing services.

The program will include an honor guard; representatives of the United States Coast Guard, Station Provincetown, the Provincetown Police Department, Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion; prayers; and music.

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A ceremony in Falmouth

There will be a public ceremony to mark Veterans Day in Falmouth, with a procession stepping off at 10:45 a.m. from the Falmouth Green on Main Street and moving to Memorial Lane in front of Falmouth Public Library. Any veterans who would like to participate in the procession are asked to be at the Town Green by 10:30 a.m.

The formal ceremony will begin at 11:11 a.m. at the library, 300 Main St. Those at the ceremony are asked to wear a mask. Participants will include local honor and color guards, the Brian Boru Pipe Band and the Falmouth High School chorus.

Refreshments and light fare will follow at the Falmouth Elks Lodge, 140 Palmer Ave. Information: https://falmouthma.gov/218/Veterans-Services

Eastham veterans program

The town’s annual Veterans Day program will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Eastham United Methodist Church, 3200 Route 6. There will be music, words of gratitude and speeches, and a way of remembering and expressing gratitude to veterans and their families. Masks will be required.

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Free ferry travel in Woods Hole, on islands

The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority will again honor U.S. military personnel with its annual free-passage travel program on Thursday. All veterans who have a valid military ID showing their active duty, honorable discharge or retired status can pick up a complimentary passenger ticket at any Steamship Authority office prior to boarding on Nov. 11. The free travel does not cover accompanying passengers or vehicles. Information: www.steamshipauthority.com/veterans.

Free food at Ninety Nine restaurants

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, all locations of the Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub chain will offer a free entrée for veterans from a special Veterans Day dine-in menu, with the purchase of another entrée. The chain has restaurants in Centerville, Falmouth, Mashpee and West Yarmouth.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Veterans Day events on Cape Cod 2021: Here's what is going on