On Monday, the City of Picayune celebrated Veterans Day with a parade along two main downtown streets, Goodyear Boulevard and West Canal Street.

This annual parade is coordinated by the local American Legion and VFW chapters and is a significant community event. It featured diverse participants, including veterans from different generations, the Picayune Band, the Mayor, City Council members, and representatives from the Picayune Fire and Police Department. The parade also welcomed interested individuals to join and march alongside the organized groups.

Mayor Jim Luke expressed his appreciation for the parade, stating, “We are excited and always have a substantial turnout for the parade. It’s an occasion where we honor and pay tribute to our heroes and veterans for their service to Picayune, Mississippi, and our nation. We take this commitment seriously.”

Veteran Benny Gisclair added, “It’s remarkable that people come here to pay us honor, and they didn’t have to. We are grateful that they did.”

As part of the parade, the City named Joe Lee Landrum their Veteran of the Year. Originally from Picayune, Landrum served in the US Marine Corps, embodying the dedication and service associated with Veterans Day.

The Picayune Veterans Day Parade underscores the community’s profound respect and appreciation for the veterans who have served their nation.