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Cumberland County Veterans Council expands tradition of service
- Details
- Tuesday, 28 October 2025
- Written by Jamie Bishop
Downtown Fayetteville will come alive on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 10 a.m., when the Cumberland County Veterans Council presents its 29th annual Veterans Day Parade, a celebration honoring past, present, and future generations of military service.
This year’s parade marks the largest in recent memory, featuring 95 entries and a renewed partnership with Fort Bragg’s XVIII Airborne Corps and Pope Army Airfield. The 2025 theme, “In Honor of Our Veterans,” reflects the Council’s enduring mission to unify the military community and the civilians who support it.
“This is our biggest year yet,” said Dr. Toshiba Narcisse, U.S. Army Retired, CCVC senior vice president and parade director. “We have 95 entries, 36 volunteers, and some exciting new additions, including our first-ever veterans’ horse unit from the Horsemen of Colors right here in Cumberland County. It’s going to be a beautiful sight.”
Now in its 29th year, the Veterans Day Parade has become one of the most anticipated community gatherings in Fayetteville. The event serves as a reflection of the city’s deep military roots and an opportunity for residents to express gratitude for the men and women who have served.
Dr. Narcisse has been part of the parade’s planning for more than a decade and is now in her third year as director. Each year presents new challenges and new reasons to celebrate.
“This parade brings together the past, the present, and the future,” she said. “You have retired veterans walking side-by-side with active-duty soldiers and JROTC students who represent the next generation of service. It’s a living timeline of military heritage right in our streets.”
Among the parade’s most touching traditions is the participation of Mr. Bud, one of the area’s oldest veterans and a member of Rolling Thunder. His appearance each year reminds spectators why the parade exists to honor those whose service spans generations and whose stories continue to inspire.
Coordinating nearly 100 entries from bands and color guards to float crews and honor escorts requires months of work and dozens of dedicated volunteers. This year, 36 volunteers helped with permits, registrations, and route logistics to ensure the parade runs smoothly.
“It’s a lot of coordination, but we have a great team inside the Veterans Council,” Dr. Narcisse explained. “Most of us are veterans ourselves, so we treat this as a mission. We plan early, stay disciplined, and make sure everything is ready well before the first marching band steps off.”
The parade will again begin on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville and follow a modified route introduced several years ago to accommodate crowds and city inspections. While the adjustment has required some fine-tuning, Narcisse said this year’s team has perfected the flow.
“This new route has become part of our story,” she said. “Each turn represents how we’ve adapted as a community. We’ve had to learn and relearn our space, but that’s what resilience looks like.”
For 2025, spectators can expect to see the 82nd Airborne Division Band and Chorus, local JROTC units, and numerous veterans’ organizations marching in formation. The addition of the Horsemen of Colors marks the first appearance of a mounted unit in the parade’s history.
“The horses symbolize discipline and strength,” Narcisse said. “They bring a visual element that connects to the history of service and ceremonial tradition. It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a long time, and now it’s finally happening.”
In addition to the parade itself, Narcisse and the CCVC are working to build a larger community celebration for the organization’s 30th anniversary next year. Her vision includes a post-parade “Family Day” event at Segra Stadium featuring information booths, music, and activities for children as a way to keep the spirit of service alive beyond the morning march.
“When veterans and their families come together outside uniform, you see the human side of service,” she said. “It’s joyful and restorative. That’s the energy we want to carry forward.”
For Dr. Narcisse, a veteran and the daughter and mother of service members, the parade is deeply personal.
“This is a family reunion for me,” she said warmly. “I served, my parents served, and now my sons serve. Every time I stand on that review stand and see those flags pass by, I remember why we do this. It’s to honor every sacrifice and to love our veterans loudly.”
Her message to the community is simple: “Be kind, be nice — and love a veteran.”
Spectators are encouraged to arrive early for the 10 a.m. start and line the streets with flags and signs of support. The Cumberland County Veterans Council continues to welcome organizations, bands, and civic groups interested in joining future events.
Inquiries may be emailed to ccvcveteransparade@gmail.com.
(Photo: Community supporters cheer as U.S. Army Paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, march in the Cumberland County Council’s Veterans Day Parade in Fayetteville, Nov. 2, 2024. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Elvis Umanzor)
