In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the Allied nations and Germany negotiated an armistice—a temporary cessation of hostilities —that brought World War I to a halt. The war didn’t officially end until the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919, but many historians regard November 11 as the end of “The Great War.”

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that on November 11th the United States would celebrate “Armistice Day,” and in 1954 Congress expanded the holiday to honor American veterans of all wars. Denver will offer plenty of opportunities to do just that on Saturday, Veterans Day. Because a patriotic Facebook status isn’t enough—here are six ways to thank our veteran community this weekend.

A Dessert and Cocktail Pairing with Rising Sun Distillery — November 11 
Enjoy three unique cocktail and dessert pairings made by Rising Sun’s in-house pastry chef and distiller. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to local veterans groups. Buy tickets here.

The Veterans Day Run, Parade, Festival — November 11
Denver’s official Veterans Day bash includes a 5K/10K run, parade, and festival. The parade—which will be 30,000-strong this year, rivaling the crowd for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade—starts at 10 a.m. at 14th Street and Colfax Avenue. The parade is followed by a festival at Civic Center Park (noon to 3 p.m.). The family-friendly and free-to-the-public event will feature food trucks, live music, military displays, and vendor stands from local veteran nonprofits and organizations. Denver has celebrated its veteran community with a military parade for over 100 years, but it wasn’t until the Colorado Veterans Project started running it in 2014 that turnout grew from the hundreds to the thousands.

Colorado Veterans Project
Photo courtesy of the Colorado Veterans Project

Go on an Annual Cemetery Tour at Fairmount Cemetery or Riverside Cemetery, where historians and tour guides will visit the gravesites of fallen Colorado veterans. The events are free but donations are suggested.

Support Local, Veteran-Made Art — November 11 through December 30
Internal Narratives: Projects by Veterans, the final product of a four-month Veterans Workshop Series at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, will feature photography by 10 Denver-based veteran artists. The exhibits showcase works that reflect each artist’s personal life, including their “inspirations, life experiences, creativity, and points of view.” The opening reception is on November 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center at 1070 Bannock St.

The Fallen Heroes Remembrance Ceremony — November 11
While formal invites only go to Gold Star families, the Fallen Heroes Remembrance Ceremony is open to anyone. The event will honor Coloradans killed in action, as their names are read aloud at the base of the Colorado Veterans Monument, across from the State Capitol building. The Mt. Rosa chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will also be present to ring the Liberty Bell once for every year since the 9/11 attacks. The observance begins at 9:30 a.m.

Donate to a Local Veterans Organization
Colorado is home to many organizations advocating for veterans in the state—find and donate to one at Colorado Gives or Colorado Veterans Project.