Cary's Veterans Day Observance is 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Veterans Freedom Park, with a shuttle from Cary Academy. Plus what is closed that day.

Last checked Oct. 14, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Facts come from the Town of Cary, the Town of Holly Springs, GoCary and Wake County, linked below.

Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. The Town of Cary holds its Veterans Day Observance at 11 a.m. that day at Veterans Freedom Park. The date and time are on the town’s own event page; the speakers and program are not out yet.

Who to call

  • Veterans Day ceremony: the town’s event contact, 919-462-3847
  • Town of Cary, including trash: Cary 311, or 919-469-4000 from outside town limits
  • GoCary: 919-485-RIDE (7433)
  • Emergency: 911

Veterans Day Observance in Cary

11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 11, Veterans Freedom Park, 1517 N. Harrison Ave. The town’s Memorial and Veterans Day page lists the ceremony and says more information on the 2026 program will be available closer to the event. It is free.

  • Parking: at Cary Academy, 1500 N. Harrison Ave., across from the park. An ADA-accessible shuttle runs from an hour before to an hour after the ceremony, the town says.
  • Seating: limited. In 2025 the town asked guests to bring lawn chairs (October 2025 town newsletter).
  • Last year’s program: the 2025 speaker was Ron Brigham, a Marine Corps veteran who served as a JAG officer and has lived in Cary since 1993. Veterans Bridge Home, Parexel and Boy Scout Troop 200 placed a Field of Flags at the park, and the front of the Cary Arts Center was lit green for Operation Green Light from Nov. 4 to 11, according to the town’s page. The 2026 speakers had not been named when we checked.

Other ceremonies nearby

Holly Springs, about nine miles south. The Town of Holly Springs holds its Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Veterans Memorial in Veterans Park, 600 Bikram Drive. It is free, with snacks available, according to the town calendar.

Morrisville, about four miles north. The Town of Morrisville held a free Veterans Day breakfast at Cedar Fork Community Center on Nov. 7, 2025, with registration required. We found no 2026 date on the town’s event page and will add it when one is posted.

Cary’s Veterans Luncheon. In 2025 the town held a luncheon for veterans at the Cary Senior Center on Nov. 7, with registration through RecTrac or by calling 919-469-4081 (October 2025 town newsletter). The town had not posted a 2026 date when we checked.

What is open and closed on Nov. 11

Town of Cary. Veterans Day is on the town’s holiday list, and with few exceptions town offices are closed. The town says to call ahead before visiting any facility.

GoCary. Fixed-route buses run their regular schedule. Door to Door runs Tier 1 trips only (GoCary holiday hours).

Wake County. From the county’s 2026 holiday schedule:

Service Wednesday, Nov. 11
County offices Closed
Libraries, including Cary Regional and West Regional Closed
Animal Center Closed
County parks Open
Solid waste convenience centers Open
South Wake Landfill and East Wake Transfer Station Open

Schools. Nov. 11 is a holiday on the Wake County Public School System’s 2026-27 traditional calendar. Year-round tracks follow their own calendars. Our schools page has the full year.

Trash and recycling

The town posts holiday collection changes in Cary Collects and its monthly utility bill newsletter. The 2026 Veterans Day schedule was not out when we checked on Oct. 14.

Last year, when Veterans Day fell on a Tuesday, Monday pickup stayed on schedule, Tuesday to Thursday pickups moved one day later to Wednesday to Friday, and the Citizen’s Convenience Center closed for the holiday, according to the town’s October 2025 newsletter. We will update this section when the town posts 2026’s changes. Our trash and recycling guide has the regular schedule.

Parking and roads

Veterans Freedom Park has little parking of its own on ceremony days; use the Cary Academy lot and the shuttle. N. Harrison Avenue carries school and commuter traffic on weekdays, so allow extra time. The town had not published any road closures for the ceremony when we checked. Current road work is on our road construction and closures page, and parking decks and getting around town are on our getting around page.

What this means for you

  • Going to the ceremony? Park at Cary Academy, bring a lawn chair and arrive before 11 a.m.
  • Need a county library or office that day? Both are closed Wednesday, Nov. 11.
  • Check Cary Collects the week before for your trash day.

Memorial Day in May is on our Memorial Day page. More November events are on our things to do this month page.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Veterans Day ceremony in Cary in 2026?

The Town of Cary’s Veterans Day Observance is 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, at Veterans Freedom Park, 1517 N. Harrison Ave. The town says more on the 2026 program will be posted closer to the day.

Where do I park for Cary’s Veterans Day ceremony?

The town directs event parking to Cary Academy, 1500 N. Harrison Ave. An ADA-accessible shuttle runs from an hour before to an hour after the ceremony. Seating is limited, so bring a lawn chair.

Are Cary town offices open on Veterans Day?

No. Veterans Day is on the Town of Cary’s holiday list, and most town offices close. Wake County offices and libraries are closed Nov. 11 too, while county parks and convenience centers stay open.

Does trash pickup change for Veterans Day in Cary?

It did in 2025: Tuesday to Thursday curbside pickups moved one day later and the Citizen’s Convenience Center closed for the holiday. The town had not posted its 2026 schedule when we checked on Oct. 14.

Do Wake County schools have Veterans Day off?

Yes. Wednesday, Nov. 11, is a holiday on the Wake County Public School System’s 2026-27 traditional calendar.