What does Veterans Day look like in a community where the memorial park itself was dedicated on Veterans Day? In The Villages this year, it lasts five days. It starts Sunday, Nov. 8, at Soaring Eagle Softball Complex and ends Thursday, Nov. 12, at Farragut Softball Complex. In between are a morning service, an afternoon cruise, a tribute on every town square and an evening concert.
Almost all of it works on a show-up basis. The exception is the movie night that closes the week, and its registration opens Thursday, Oct. 29.
The one event with a sign-up sheet
On Thursday, Nov. 12, at 5 p.m., Farragut Softball Complex hosts a public showing of Memphis Belle. The 1990 drama follows a ten-man bomber crew during World War II. Registration is required and opens Oct. 29. You can sign up online through DistrictGov.org or at any At Your Service center.
Most of the week needs no planning beyond picking which square or which time works for you. So the movie is the one item worth handling this week rather than next. A neighbor who served might like an invitation. Registering now means you won't be trying to get a seat the day after the busiest Veterans Day schedule on the calendar.
The week at a glance
Here's the official schedule from The Villages' Veterans Day announcement, plus the Villages High School concert listed on the developer's fall events page.
| Day | Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Nov. 8 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | Veterans Softball Tournament with a moment of reflection | Soaring Eagle Softball Complex |
| Wed., Nov. 11 | 11 a.m. | Veterans Day Service | Veterans Memorial Park at Spanish Springs |
| Wed., Nov. 11 | 1 p.m. to sunset | Veterans Day Boat Cruise | Lake Sumter Line Dock |
| Wed., Nov. 11 | 5 p.m. | A Tribute to Our Veterans | All town squares |
| Wed., Nov. 11 | 7 p.m. | Veterans Day concert | The Tracy Performing Arts Center |
| Wed., Nov. 11 | Times vary | 25% off select ticketed shows for veterans | The Savannah Center and The Tracy |
| Thu., Nov. 12 | 5 p.m. | Memphis Belle showing, registration required | Farragut Softball Complex |
Nov. 11 holds five of the seven entries. Each one starts at a different hour, though the afternoon cruise is still running when the 5 p.m. square tribute begins.
Why the morning service happens at Spanish Springs
Every other location on that list is a softball field, a dock, a stage or a square. The 11 a.m. service is the only event held at a site built specifically for veterans. Knowing its history explains why the rest of the day is organized around it.
Villages-News recounted in 2020 that the park sits just off Main Street in Spanish Springs at Paige Place and Lake Miramar, near the start of the golf cart bridge that crosses U.S. Hwy. 27/441. Ground was broken on July 4, 1998. The official dedication followed on Nov. 11, 1998, which was Veterans Day. By then a granite monument weighing roughly 27,000 pounds was in place. Sharon Morse designed the park. According to the same Villages-News account, its construction was funded through sales of bricks honoring veterans of every era, some going back to the Revolutionary War.
Those bricks are still part of the park, and so is the custom of dedicating new ones on Veterans Day. Villages-News coverage of the 2019 service described music, a speaker, singing and the dedication of bricks bought that year. The Villages' own park page describes oak trees, benches and commemorative bricks, with public services held throughout the year.
A committee of veterans and patriotic organizations runs the services there. The park's district brochure lists Veterans Day among its annual services. It also names participating organizations and unit flags, including American Legion Post 347, Villages Honor Flight, the Military Officers Association of America, the Marine Corps League, Vietnam Veterans of America and Tri-County Women Veterans. Some older listings show the service at 10 a.m. This year's official schedule says 11 a.m.
How Wednesday fits together
Because the start times are staggered, you can follow most of Nov. 11 in sequence or drop in for one piece. In order:
- 11 a.m., Veterans Memorial Park at Spanish Springs. The service at the monument.
- 1 p.m. to sunset, Lake Sumter Line Dock. The developer's schedule says veterans are welcome on an afternoon cruise across the lake. The announcement doesn't mention a price or reservations. On the district's lake excursions page, regular Lake Sumter Line tickets are $3, specialty cruise fees are advertised separately, and dock tickets are first-come, first-served unless otherwise noted. Check with the district before you go.
- 5 p.m., every town square. "A Tribute to Our Veterans" features the National Anthem and each branch's service song. Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing, Brownwood, Sawgrass Grove and Eastport all hold it at the same hour, so you can stay on your nearest square.
- 7 p.m., The Tracy Performing Arts Center. A Veterans Day concert featuring Villages High School choir and band ensembles with a guest performance by the Heart of Florida barbershop singers. Details are on The Tracy's event page.
Veterans also get a discount that day. On Nov. 11 they can take 25% off select ticketed performances at The Savannah Center and The Tracy by choosing "Veteran" when booking online or by asking at the box office. If a veteran in your household has been eyeing a show at either venue, this discount is worth checking.
The Sunday softball tournament at Soaring Eagle opens the week. Its day of games includes a moment of reflection and a tribute to veterans. The Thursday movie at Farragut closes the official program.
After Nov. 12, resident groups take over
The developer's program ends with Memphis Belle. Resident-run fundraisers keep going for the rest of the month. Villagers for Veterans has three November dates on its calendar.
- Saturday, Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.: The Leesburg Blues Brothers with Mel and The Misfits at the Epic Old Mill Playhouse. Tickets are $27 through the Villages Box Office.
- Wednesday, Nov. 18, doors at 6 p.m.: Shania Live: The Ultimate Tribute, also at the Epic Old Mill Playhouse, with tickets from $27. The group's listing says proceeds benefit Villagers for Veterans programs supporting local veterans.
- Saturday, Nov. 28: The group's annual Friendsgiving Party at Lake Miona Recreation Center. It includes an Italian-themed dinner of lasagna, salad, bread and dessert, plus live music by Konnection. Tickets are $30.
The morning of Nov. 14 has something too. The 1st Annual Dragon Boat Rodeo runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Central Lake, with the Grand Masters Dragon Boat Club and other Villager teams racing. That gives you a morning at the water and an evening at the Old Mill on the same Saturday.
The early events are public tributes on fields, docks and squares. The later ones are ticketed nights out that support local veteran programs. The memorial park at Spanish Springs was paid for the same way, through brick sales honoring individual veterans.
If you're planning your Veterans Day week and have questions about getting around Spanish Springs, the squares or the Old Mill, Nathan Piotrowski is happy to help. He's a Florida native who works in The Villages every day. Let's Connect, and thank you to every veteran who calls The Villages home.
