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Veterans Day Weekend in COS: Parade Saturday, Turkey Trails Sunday

By Jamie Rivera, Staff Reporter · COS Parenting

Published November 2, 2026

Two family-friendly events bookend Veterans Day weekend in Colorado Springs — one to honor service, one to burn off some early-Thanksgiving energy. Here's what's happening and what families need to know before heading downtown or to the starting line.

Saturday, November 7: "In Their Honor" Veterans Day Parade

The "In Their Honor" Veterans Day Parade steps off at 11:00 AM on Tejon Street, heading south to Vermijo Avenue. The parade is free to watch, and it's one of the better community events of the fall season in COS — a genuine multi-generational gathering with military units, bands, civic organizations, and families lining the route.

This year's grand marshal is Commander Jesse Kimber, who at 103 years old represents a living connection to military history that's increasingly rare. His presence in the parade is worth explaining to kids: what it means to serve, what it means to still be here, and what it means that a community shows up to say thank you.

Logistics for Saturday

Start time: 11:00 AM MT
Route: Tejon Street downtown, south to Vermijo Avenue
Road closures: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM MT in the downtown corridor
Cost: Free to watch

Road closures start at 9 AM, two hours before the parade begins. Plan your parking before closures go into effect, or use public transit. The downtown core around Tejon will be inaccessible by car from 9 AM to 1 PM.

Dress for mid-November Colorado weather — it's a standing-outdoors event. Layers are the reliable call.

Sunday, November 8: Turkey Trails 5K

The Turkey Trails 5K starts at 8:00 AM on Sunday — an annual pre-Thanksgiving tradition that functions as a fun family morning out before the holiday season fully takes over the calendar. The main race starts at 8 AM. A kids' dash goes off at 7:55 AM, five minutes before the main field.

The kids' dash is a short course designed for younger runners. It's not a competitive timed race — it's a chance for kids to run with other kids, get a race experience, and feel like athletes for a morning. That's usually enough.

Packet pickup runs from 6:30 to 7:45 AM on race day. If you're registered, plan to arrive early. Turkey Trails has been a popular local event and the lot fills before the race start. Check the Turkey Trails website for course details, registration, and any day-of updates.

Logistics for Sunday

Kids' dash: 7:55 AM MT
Main 5K: 8:00 AM MT
Packet pickup: 6:30–7:45 AM MT
Registration: Required — check the Turkey Trails website

Two Different Kinds of Family Outings

The parade and the race are different energy — one is about watching and honoring, the other is about moving and participating. Both work well with kids of different ages, and doing both over the weekend is entirely possible given the 11 AM Saturday and 8 AM Sunday timing.

Veterans Day itself is Tuesday, November 11. The parade happens Saturday as a practical matter — more families can attend on the weekend than on a school/workday. But the timing means there's a full week of context: the parade this weekend, Veterans Day the following Tuesday.

What's Next

Veterans Day is a federal holiday on November 11. D11, D20, and D49 schools may or may not have the day off depending on their individual calendars — check your district's academic calendar for November 11 specifics. For this weekend, the two events above are the main family draws in Colorado Springs. Turkey Trails continues to grow each year and often sells out — if you haven't registered for Sunday, check availability soon.

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