2015 Veterans Weekend Half Marathon, Military Ball, Parade and Concert

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Oct. 12, 2015 - PRLog -- Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation Presents the 2015 VETERANS WEEKEND EVENTS on Saturday and Sunday, November 7 & 8, 2015

Three Free community events for the entire family to enjoy!

Veterans Weekend will be full of parading, high-flying, applauding, running, singing, dancing, and most importantly… remembering and honoring all our veterans.   Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation invites you to join in to one or all three free community events.

Get the weekend off to a great running start… literally!  Sign up to run in the Veterans Day Half-Marathon.  Race starts on UCSB Campus for the first time starting at 7:15 am at the University Plaza. Runners can sign up at : www.sbmarathon.com or e-mail: sbimarathon@cox.net.  This is a USATF Certified & Boston Qualifying Event. Choose half or relay. You can even register at the Health & Wellness Expo on Friday, Nov 6, at the Earl Warren Show Grounds from 10 am - 8 pm to register, get your running bags, check out all the sponsors booths and grab a carb dinner (Time TBA) for veterans, active duty and reserve runners at no charge, and for the public at a nominal cost.  Go to the marathon website to get the details.

Show up at the Veterans Mile on Saturday between 8:30 am – 12 noon to cheer the runners on the final mile.  Applaud the veterans, reservists and active duty on the final mile from Shoreline Park to Leadbetter Beach decorated with vintage WWII vehicles, tanks and jeeps, plus American flags will be handed out to all the runners at the start of the final mile at Shoreline Park.  Want to volunteer to hand out flags, please call the PCVF office and leave a message or e-mail: info@pcvf.org.  New this year: There will be a “Finish Line Festival” with sponsor booths and a beer garden featuring Firestone-Walker brews.

On Sunday, the annual Veterans Parade kicks off at high noon on the 1400 block of State Street with the SB Sheriff helicopter buzzing overhead to announce the start. The parade will have WWII vehicles & re-enactors, the Vietnam Huey chopper, with the Vietnam Veterans Local 218 Chapter, the Prime Time Band, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, SB High School Dons Riders Bike Club, the Sea Cadets and UCSB ROTC Surfrider Battalion students… and the real heroes – our veterans – to applaud.  Ending around 1 pm, the new resting point for the vehicles will be in the parking lot of The Fess Parker Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd.  Be sure to bring your camera to get pictures - of and with - these vintage beasts.  It’s a rare opportunity.

Around 12:45 pm look up for the now legendary flyovers - more than two dozen this year - of vintage military aircraft doing precision flying formations best seen from Cabrillo Blvd., but visible from ALL over town.   The distinctive roar of the engines will be a real ‘heads-up’ for the flyovers.  Last year the planes did about ten passes. The final formation is known as “The Missing Man” -- a salute to all those who have died in service to our country.   This will be the largest flyover PCVF has ever presented. Get ready to be amazed!

Following the parade and flyovers there will be a wonderful free 75-minute concert starting at 2 pm.  You can relax on the lawn in front of the hotel, bring a picnic, order something from the hotel or try an item from a food truck. Patriotic program features the 60-piece Westmont College Orchestra led by Dr. Michael Shasberger and the Westmont Choir in the Plaza del Sol.   Remember to wear your colors - Red, White and Blue - and be sure to thank a veteran for their service when you see them.  Let them know they will never be forgotten.

More info at www.PCVF.org, by e-mail to info@PCVF.org or call (805) 259 4394.