North St. Paul and White Bear Lake are among the communities hosting Veterans Day commemorations Tuesday.
The North St. Paul Veterans Park, located at 2480 Margaret St. in North St. Paul, is hosting its annual Veterans Day Commemoration at 11:00 a.m.
Attendees are encouraged to gather at 10:45 a.m. The event includes the Veterans Park Committee, American Legion Post 39 Flag Detail and the VFW Post 1350 Rifle Detail, the North St. Paul High School 11th Avenue Singers and more.
Post 39 also is serving a free chipped beef on toast lunch for veterans from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2678 Seventh Ave. E. in North St. Paul.
White Bear Lake VFW Post 1782 is celebrating Veterans Day beginning with a morning ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park followed by a lunch at the VFW next door and a luminary event later in the day.
The 10:30 a.m. ceremony kicks off at the park located at 4520 Highway 61 in White Bear Lake followed by lunch at the post (near the park) and a 4 p.m. luminary event at the Veterans Memorial Park.
VFW Post 1782 is also holding an event at 7 p.m. Friday: a slide show and book signing on PTSD and suicide prevention by the co-founders of the nonprofit Veterans Empowered Inc. at Boatworks Commons,4495 Lake Street South in White Bear Lake.
Other area events:
Minneapolis: Veterans for Peace Twin Cities (Chapter 27) will commemorate Armistice Day at Victory Memorial at 45th Avenue North and Victory Memorial Drive in Robbinsdale. The event will include poetry and song by Strong Buffalo with Scottie Clifford & Wemby June. A walk to the Memorial begins at 9:30 a.m. from Dowling Avenue and Victory Memorial Drive and bells will be rung at 11 a.m. to remember all victims of war.
Mankato: The official state Veterans Day event by the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs will be held at the Mankato Armory and Minnesota National Guard on Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m. It can be viewed live at vimeo.com/event/5494772.
Spring Park: A Veterans Day Finale to a two-month fundraising campaign to honor the “courage, sacrifice and resilience” of Minnesota military personnel will be held at Back Channel Brewing Co. in Spring Park on Lake Minnetonka. Operation Resilience 2025 began 9/11 and ends 11/11. The campaign “invites Minnesotans to stand with those who have served by helping remove barriers to mental health care for veterans, service members and their spouses.” Funds raised will support free trauma therapy. The campaign ends with live music, raffle prizes and more. Doors open at 5 p.m. Donate or learn more at veteranresilienceproject.org.
Appreciation for veterans
If you served — or are serving — in the armed forces, Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop in downtown Stillwater will serve you a free meal on Veterans Day. Meals will be available between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The restaurant is planning to serve more than 250 veterans this year, said Cory Buettner, the restaurant’s owner. No proof of service is necessary, and veterans may choose from the entire menu, Buettner said.
This is the 18th year that Buettner has offered the meals to veterans. Leo’s is named for Buettner’s father, who served in the Army during World War II. Buettner’s son, Leo Blue Buettner, served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Other free Veterans Day meals and offers:
- American Legion Post 39 in North St. Paul is offering veterans free chipped beef on toast lunch with a fruit cup from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Great Clips salons are honoring veterans and active military service members by offering free haircuts.
- The Museum of Illusions at the Mall of America is offering free admission to U.S. veterans and active military service members from Tuesday, Nov. 11 through Tuesday, Nov. 17. For more information visit moimallofamerica.com.
- Starbucks is offering veterans, military service members and military spouses a free 12 ounce brewed hot or iced coffee.
- Hy-Vee stores will offer a free buffet-style breakfast to veterans and active-duty military members from 6 to 10 a.m. and 15 percent off groceries at Hy-Vee, Fast and Fresh and Dollar Fresh Market locations.
- Participating Chili’s Grill & Bar locations are providing free meals to all veterans & active military members.
- Participating White Castle locations will offer a free combo meal or breakfast combo meal to veterans and active-duty service members.
- Dunkin Donuts will be giving away a free donut to veterans and active-duty military members.
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to celebrate the agreement between the Allied nations and Germany to cease all fighting during World War I that took effect at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. The U.S. marked its first Armistice Day under President Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Congress made Nov. 11 an official federal holiday in 1938.
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