PHOTOS: 2023 Lawrence Veterans Day Parade

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Veterans lead the University of Kansas marching band down Massachusetts Street at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

Lawrence honored its veterans on Saturday morning at the annual Veterans Day Parade on Massachusetts Street. The parade featured local veterans from all services, color guards, the University of Kansas Marching Jayhawks band and a military flyover.

The parade’s grand marshal this year, Jean Knablein Francisco, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 as part of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). She served until 1947, then came to Kansas with her husband, Dr. W. David Francisco, who had also served in the Navy. They had three children, including Marci Francisco, former Lawrence mayor and current state senator.

The parade was held a week before Veterans Day itself, which is observed on Nov. 11 every year. The date recognizes the armistice of Nov. 11, 1918, the official end of World War I.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

The Veterans Day Parade gets ready to head down Massachusetts Street on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

The Veterans Day Parade rolls down Massachusetts Street on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Veterans lead the University of Kansas marching band down Massachusetts Street at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Two children help carry a banner thanking veterans at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

The University of Kansas marching band performs at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Spectators watch as the band marches past at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Girl Scouts carry the grand marshal’s banner at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. The grand marshal for this year’s parade, Jean Knablein Francisco, served in the U.S. Navy as part of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) until 1947.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Veterans affiliated with Haskell Indian Nations University march in the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

A renovated military ambulance drives down Massachusetts Street at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

A jet flies over the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

A veteran gives a thumbs up while riding in a Jeep at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

A small plane does a flyover at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Spectators watch the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, on Massachusetts Street.

photo by: Shawn Valverde

Onlookers wave as the Daughters of the American Revolution float passes by at the Lawrence Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

COMMENTS

Welcome to the new LJWorld.com. Our old commenting system has been replaced with Facebook Comments. There is no longer a separate username and password login step. If you are already signed into Facebook within your browser, you will be able to comment. If you do not have a Facebook account and do not wish to create one, you will not be able to comment on stories.