Warriors' Day Parade

Warriors' Day Parade
Commemorative plaque describing the Warriors' Day Parade
GenreMilitary
Location(s)Toronto, Ontario
Years active1921–present
Founded1921
Attendance3,000 (2019)[1]
Patron(s)Warriors' Day Council

The Warriors' Day Parade is an annual military parade in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is open to Canadian war veterans, military personnel, first responders and para military marching contingents and bands.[2] The name was coined by Governor General of Canada Julian Byng, was established in 1921, and is organised by the Warriors' Day Parade Council.[3] The parade is held on the third Saturday of August which is the second day of the Canadian National Exhibition. The parade honours the service of Canadian men and women in the armed forces.

The parade route begins at the Princes' Gates, travels along Princes' Boulevard and ends at the Stanley Barracks. Veterans are organized by their units, wars and demonstrations. Veterans are welcomed from Canada and the United States. The Warriors' Day Parade Council awards organizations that participate.[4] The parade is often planned to commemorate specific events such as notable battles.

Following the world wars, participants in the parade included up to 30,000 military veterans. In 2019, the number of veterans participating was estimated at just below 3,000.[1] A number of privately owned military vehicles and classic cars also take part in the parade, representing various military vehicle preservation associations.[5]

In conjunction with the parade, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) waives transit fares for the day for Canadian Armed Forces personnel, veterans and companions.[6] The TTC Honour Guard also participates in the parade.[6] Similarly, GO Transit also offers free travel for the day of the parade to veterans and current personnel.[7]

  1. ^ a b Wallace, Aidan (August 17, 2019). "OUR WARRIORS: Celebrating the 98th Warriors Day Parade". Toronto Sun. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "The Warriors' Day Parade". www.veterans.gc.ca. Veteran Affairs Canada. July 16, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Warriors' Day Parade - About Us". thewarriorsdayparade.ca. Warriors' Day Parade Council.
  4. ^ "Trophy Winners for the 102nd Warriors' Day Parade 2023" (PDF) (pdf). Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "Milton MVPA 2018 Attendance at Warriors' Day Parade". www.lonestar-mvpa.org. Lonestar Military Vehicle Preservation Association.
  6. ^ a b "TTC offers free rides on Warriors' Day for military personnel and veterans". ttc.ca (Press release). Toronto Transit Commission. August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  7. ^ "GO to the CNE". gotransit.com (Press release). GO Transit. June 20, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.