Veterans Day events in DeKalb County 2024

SYCAMORE – Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and a number of events to honor military personnel are planned this week and leading up to the day in DeKalb County .

As a part of a local annual tradition, veterans will honor fellow veterans during a daylong vigil that's planned for Friday and Saturday at the DeKalb County Courthouse, 133 W. State St., Sycamore. Starting at 3 p.m. on Friday, veterans will take shifts standing vigil outside of the courthouse until 3 p.m. on Saturday. An opening ceremony will be held from the courthouse steps at 2:45 p.m. on Friday, and a closing ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Veterans or patriotic citizens who wish to participate can reach Dwain Atkins at 815-895-6927 or David Larson at 815-762-5333"A Picture Exhibit of African American Patriots" is on display starting Nov. 11 at various locations across DeKalb County. The traveling display is part of a project out of Chicago-based RTW Veterans Center. To schedule an exhibit at your facility in DeKalb County, call local veteran Daniel "Doc" Habeel, co-founder and historian, at 773-406-1069. November dates for the display include: Nov. 11 at DeKalb First United Methodist Church, 2501 N. Annie Glidden Road; Nov. 13, 14 and 15 at DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St.; Nov. 20 at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb; and Nov. 25, 26 and 27 at Sycamore Public Library, 103 E. State St.Kishwaukee College will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at noon on Veterans Day inside the student center on campus, 21193 Malta Road in Malta. The National Anthem and additional music will be performed by the DeKalb High School Jazz Band, and guest speaker Ezekiel Mora, a veteran, nurse practitioner and Kishwaukee College Alumnus will recognize veterans in the audience. Anyone is welcome to attend the free event, which will also be recorded and live streamed on Kishwaukee College's social media channels. For more information visit Kish.edu/veterans .Another Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day at the Northern Illinois Veteran's Memorial in the Franklin Township Park, on Third Street in Kirkland.In DeKalb, a public Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. in front of the World War I Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Clock in Memorial Park at the corner of First Street and Lincoln Highway, in DeKalb. "The Star Spangled Banner" will be sung and local veterans are expected to give remarks. Hy-Vee grocer, 2700 DeKalb Ave., will offer free breakfast for veterans starting at 6 a.m. on Veterans Day. A program with speakers will begin at 9 a.m. The DeKalb and Sycamore Elks Lodges will host their annual Veterans Day dinner for local veterans from 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 11 at Lincoln Inn at Faradan's, 302 Grove St., DeKalb. The dinner is free to all veterans and includes roast pork with dressing, gravy, sweet corn, and mashed potatoes. Proceeds from the dinner will provide veterans complimentary meals. Others can purchase a dinner for $18 for a veteran. To reserve a meal, call 815-756-2345 or visit thelincolninn.com .