Veteran’s Day is coming up and North Carolina is home to over 750,000 Veterans, making up 9.8 percent of the state's total population. Cumberland County is home to over 120,000 military retiree residents. 

In honor of these brave individuals, Cumberland County is holding its 27th annual Veterans Day Parade this Saturday, Nov. 4 at 10:00 a.m. 

As a Veteran herself and having volunteered at the event in years prior, Toshiba Narcisse is excited to see the culmination of many months of hard work and planning as she prepares to enjoy the parade for the first time in her new role as Cumberland County Veteran Council Senior Vice President.

“…it just became my passion to help Veterans as they transition out. To [say] 'Hey, look we have a whole community here that you don't know if you stay on Fort Liberty and you're just in that area and don't really come out and socialize with the community…then you don't even know all the resources they have here for the Vets. So that became one of my passions, trying to bridge that gap, and, us communicating more and us providing more resources for the soldiers as they transition out is kind of our focus at CCVC, so I'm just honored to be a part of that whole program," remarked Narcisse.

This year, the theme is “We Fought For Liberty.” The parade will begin at Cool Spring Street and Person Street, and end at Hay Street and Pittman Lane. Narcisse shared that they've got 11 JROTCs, five marching bands, over 300 Soldiers from Fort Liberty and about 90 different Veteran organizations that will be there for the event. The hope is for over 3000 people to come out and view the parade.

Continue the celebration and stop by one of Fayetteville’s many patriotic attractions:

• The only Constant Vigilance Army Museum not on an Army base, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum is the only facility that tells the comprehensive history of the U.S. Army’s elite forces from test platoon to the present day. 
• The Patriots, Past & Present Cultural Heritage Trail guides followers through 250 years of military history, from the Revolutionary War era to the present day.
• Grab a drink at one of Fayetteville’s veteran-owned breweries: Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom, Bright Light Brewing Company, Gaston Brewing Company and Huske Hardware House Restaurant & Brewery.

Questions about the parade can be directed to Toshiba Narcisse, CCVC Sr Vice President and Veterans Day Parade Chairwoman, at 504-810-5085 or ccvcveteransparade@gmail.com.