Veterans Day events in and around Ballard

This Sunday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, and there are a few things happening in the neighborhood to honor current and former service members.

The Ballard Elks Lodge will be hosting a Veterans Day Dinner from 4pm to 9pm. A social hour will start at 4pm, with a flag ceremony, recognitions and singing of each service branch songs, including the national anthem, from 5pm 5:45pm. At 6pm there will be a “white tablecloth steak dinner with all the fixings”. The dinner is a public event and is free to veterans. Admission is by donation with proceeds going to the Elks Lodge Veterans Services.

All Taco Time NW locations, including the one in Ballard (2853 NW Market St) will be giving away free meals to all veterans and current service members on Sunday. The Ballard location is still closed for remodeling, so head over to the Wallingford (2212 N 45th St) or Interbay/West Queen Anne (1140 Elliott Ave W) locations to get the deal. The free meal will be a #3 Soft Taco Meal — no purchase is necessary but veterans or service members must show proof of military service.

Brown Bear Car Wash will be offering their annual free car washes for current or former service members. The company’s “Beary Clean” wash will be offered for free at all tunnel wash locations, including Ballard (5111 15th Ave NW), from 8am to 6pm. They operate on an honor system — no verification is required to get the free wash. In addition to the free washes, Brown Bear will be donating $1 from each car washed on Veterans Day to support the Puget Sound Honor Flight, which transports Western Washington war veterans to visit memorials in Washington D.C.

Urban Family Brewing Co. across the Locks in Magnolia ( 4441 26th Ave W) will have a Veterans Day Beer Release on Sunday. The new beer is called the “Good Life, Good Fight” in honor of Sgt. William C. Stacey. They call it a, “hoppy pale ale”, made from 22lbs of “Veterans blend” hops from Yakima Chief Hopes. “This delicious beer was brewed with the utmost care by Urban Family and Post 206’s own – Joey Hernandez and the amazing Urban Family team,” the William C. Stacey American Legion Post 206 says on their event info. Urban Family will be donating $1 from each beer sold to the American Legion Seattle Post 206.

The Woodland Park Zoo will be offering free admission (plus one) for veterans on Sunday from 9:30am to 4pm, with valid service identification. Plus, up to four family members accompanying heroes with valid ID, receive $5 off admission.

Though not in Ballard, there will be two big Veterans Day parades happening in the area: one in Auburn on Saturday at 11am and another in Mill Creek, also on Saturday at 11am.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Veterans Day — President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that Armistice Day, which was renamed Veterans Day, be celebrated on November 11, “honoring the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month when a truce or armistice was signed to stop the fighting in World War I” (from On the Move Seattle).

Monday, Nov. 12 is a federal holiday — here are reminders of what will be closed and changes to city services:

What’s closed:

• All U.S. Post Offices
• Most major banks and credit unions
• All locations of The Seattle Public Library
• Ballard Neighborhood Service Center
• Ballard Pool
• All Seattle Public Schools and district offices

Things to remember:

• On-street parking is free in the City of Seattle.
• All King County Metro Transit bus routes are operating on a Sunday schedule.
• Garbage, food and yard waste, and recycling pick-up will be on a normal schedule.

Photo from a past Auburn’s Veterans Day Parade, from Auburn Arts and Events