Phoenix's Veterans Day Parade Moves to Third Street, Putting Midtown at the Center of November 11

At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11, the first units of the 30th Phoenix Veterans Day Parade will step off at McDowell Road and Third Street and head north. In past years the parade ran on Central Avenue. This year the marching bands, military units and veterans from several eras of service will pass Arizona School for the Arts, cross Thomas Road and Osborn Road, and finish near 3805 N. 3rd Street, just short of Indian School Road.

With the move, Wednesday's main veterans events now sit in a small part of Midtown. The parade runs on Third Street, the light rail stations that serve it are on Central, and the Heard Museum, a few minutes' walk west, is holding its own Veterans Day program from morning until sunset. If you live in Midtown, the whole day happens close to home. If you live in Uptown, the parade has left your stretch of Central for the first time in years.

Why the Parade Left Central Avenue

The organizer, Honoring America's Veterans, gave ABC15 a short reason. ABC15 reported that organizers said the new route "will help with security measures for the event." No other reason has been made public.

The organizer's Sept. 30 announcement is direct about what the change means for longtime spectators. It tells people not to go to the old route along Central Avenue, Camelback Road or Seventh Street. In the same announcement, Paula Pedene, the Navy veteran who leads the nonprofit, framed the move this way:

"New Route. Same Mission. 30 Years of Honor. For three decades, Phoenix has come together to thank the men and women who served our nation. This year, we want every veteran, family and spectator to know that the celebration continues on Third Street."

The 2026 theme is "250 Years of Freedom, 30 Years of Honor," which ties America's 250th anniversary to the parade's three decades. The organizer expects more than 45,000 spectators.

Where the Route Map Puts Everything

The official route map works almost like a set of addresses. Staging and volunteers are at the south end, near Burton Barr Library and Arizona School for the Arts. Sponsor, VIP and marshal parking is also down there. From there, a line of water and program stations runs north along Third Street.

The map also shows speaker towers. On the route page, the organizer says to sit near one of them if you want to hear each entry announced as it passes. Look at the 2301 N. 3rd Street stop. The Heard Museum's address is 2301 N. Central Avenue, the same block number three streets west. That shared block number is how close the morning parade and the all-day museum program are this year.

Getting There Without Fighting for a Side Street

Visitor parking is first-come, first-served on the side streets around the route. The organizer suggests arriving early and leaving plenty of time to walk to your spot. The parade usually lasts about two hours. Step-off is at 11 a.m. and it typically ends around 1 p.m., though the exact time depends on how many entries sign up.

The new route also runs alongside the light rail. Valley Metro's B Line schedule lists stops at McDowell/Central Ave, Thomas/Central Ave and Indian School/Central Ave. The Heard Museum points visitors to the Encanto/Central stop. Each of those stations is three streets west of the parade, at the same cross street as a point on the route map. You could ride to McDowell for the step-off or to Thomas for the sponsor seating area, then walk east.

Street closures for the parade itself are still pending. The organizer's event page says updated 2026 closures "will be posted soon." The closure list currently shown below that note still describes the old Central Avenue, Camelback and Seventh Street route, so don't use it to plan your morning. The organizer says parking, transit, accessibility and closure details will go on the route page once they're final, and it asks spectators to check that page before leaving home. As of late October, Valley Metro's latest service-change notice, which took effect Oct. 26, said nothing about the parade.

Who Leads It Up Third Street

The celebrity grand marshal for the 30th parade is Jim McMahon, the Super Bowl XX champion quarterback. The veteran grand marshals are Delmar DeWitt Beard, Melvin Mitchell Smith, Palmer R. Miller III, Charles "Chuck" Byers, Joe Worthy, Priscilla Velazquez and Steve Langen. The organizer's page still says a printed parade program is "coming soon." The map shows programs handed out at every water station.

The Rest of the Day Is a Few Blocks West

The parade ends around 1 p.m., but Veterans Day in Midtown keeps going. The Heard Museum lists an outdoor American Indian Veterans Day Art Market & Sunset Tribute on Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 2301 N. Central Avenue. The two events overlap, so you can do both in one outing:

1. Morning. Ride the B Line to McDowell/Central or Thomas/Central, or park on a side street early, and walk east to Third Street for the 11 a.m. step-off.
2. Midday. Watch the parade go by, or sit near a speaker tower to hear the entries announced.
3. Afternoon. After the parade wraps around 1 p.m., walk west to the Heard for the art market.
4. Evening. Stay at the Heard for the sunset tribute. The museum's listing runs until 7 p.m.

The Saturday Before, at the South End of Third Street

Midtown's November starts four days before the parade, a short walk south of where it steps off. The Local First Arizona Certified Local Fall Festival takes over the east side of Margaret T. Hance Park on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., between Burton Barr Library and Phoenix Center for the Arts. Downtown Phoenix Inc. describes it as free, family-friendly and dog-friendly, and lists it at 1202 N. 3rd St. The City of Phoenix lists Hance Park as ADA accessible.

Third Street south of the park also has places to stop before or after. Songbird Coffee & Tea House at 812 N. 3rd Street lists daily hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Farish House is next door at 816 N. 3rd Street. If you plan to stop at Burton Barr Central Library at 1221 N. Central, the Phoenix Public Library notes that a building project there may affect visits.

On Grand Avenue, the free Grand Avenue Festival is the same Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with art, music, food and local businesses. The two festivals overlap from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. that afternoon. Put that Saturday together with the following Wednesday and the corridor from Hance Park north to Indian School Road holds most of central Phoenix's early-November calendar this year.

For Wednesday morning, the best thing to do is open the organizer's parade route page before you leave and check whether the final Third Street closures have been posted.

If you live near Third Street or along Central, you'll be hosting this new route for its first year, and we're happy to talk about what it means for your corner of central Phoenix. The team at Birk Realtors keeps up with the events and street changes that shape these neighborhoods. When you want a clear, local read on your home, ask us for a free home valuation.