Watch the Navy Band at Soldier Field on November 11
You arrive at Gate 0 on Special Olympics Drive a little before 10:30 a.m., pass through security screening, and settle into the first-floor United Club at Soldier Field. Doors open at 10 a.m., and the ceremony begins at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. The U.S. Navy Band Great Lakes performs, a wreath is laid, and distinguished veterans and military representatives are recognized. The keynote comes from Walidah G. Bennett, founder and CEO of the Multi-Faith Veterans Initiative at DePaul University, a daughter of a Montford Point Marine and mother of a deceased veteran. Retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Adam Shaw emcees, with remarks from Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and welcoming remarks from Ald. Gilbert Villegas of the 36th Ward, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Retired U.S. Navy Seabee Chief Petty Officer Leonardo Alicea gives the invocation and benediction.
Meet the Organizations Serving Chicago Veterans
Arrive early and you get two events for one trip. The resource fair runs from 10 a.m. to noon alongside the ceremony, gathering local veterans' organizations and City offices in one room. You can talk with the Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs, the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs, Chicago Veterans, and the Cook County Clerk's Office. Come with questions about benefits, records, or services, and leave with names and contacts rather than a folder of flyers.
- The ceremony itself is free and open to the public.
- Complimentary parking is available at the Waldron Deck parking structure.
- Business attire or a service dress uniform is requested.
Plan for a Morning, Not a Whole Day
The City's official commemoration is a single morning at Soldier Field, so build your visit around it rather than around a full day of programming. Aim to be through security and seated by 10:30 a.m.; the ceremony begins at 11 a.m. and the resource fair closes at noon. November weather in Chicago is cold and changeable, and the event is indoors at the United Club, but you will still be outside between the Waldron Deck and Gate 0. Dress accordingly and give yourself time to walk from parking to the gate.
Know What the Holiday Commemorates
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day, declared by President Woodrow Wilson to mark the armistice that ended World War I. After World War II it expanded to honor all veterans, and Congress renamed it Veterans Day in 1954. The holiday honors living veterans who served honorably in wartime and peacetime, which is why the Chicago ceremony centers on recognition and wreath laying rather than battle commemorations. Knowing that history gives the morning at Soldier Field more weight: you are attending a civic observance, not a spectacle.
Start With the Ceremony and Build Your Day Around It
Because the City's published program covers the commemoration ceremony and resource fair only, treat those as your fixed points: 10 a.m. doors, 10:30 a.m. seating, 11 a.m. ceremony, noon fair close, all at Soldier Field on November 11, 2026. Book your parking at the Waldron Deck, plan your attire, and set an alarm for an early start. By mid-afternoon you will have heard the Navy Band, met the organizations that serve Chicago's veterans, and marked the holiday the way the city intends.