Veterans Day parade road closures in Folsom. Here are the recommended detours

The city of Folsom will host its 22nd annual Veterans Day parade from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday.

According to a news release from the city, the Folsom Police Department will temporarily close all lanes on East Bidwell Street from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Natoma Street, from Coloma Street to Wales Drive, will close 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. The city stated that road closures will be lifted immediately after the parade ends.

Detours around the parade will be marked, according to the city’s statement, and drivers are encouraged to take Riley and School streets as alternate routes.

Folsom Veterans Day parade details

The parade begins on East Bidwell Street near Montrose Drive in the Target and Home Goods parking lot and will travel westbound on East Bidwell Street. It will end at Folsom City Lions Park with a brief ceremony to honor local service members at the Veterans Memorial, according to the news release.

The parade is called the “Wayne Spence” Veterans Day Parade in honor of Jess Wayne Spence, who single-handedly started the parade in 2000 when he walked by himself down Natoma Street distributing flags and educating children about why people honor veterans, according to Ted Ocampo, Folsom’s senior recreation coordinator.

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Spence served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean conflict. During his time in Folsom, he was a volunteer at the Folsom history museum and zoo and spearheaded the street signs honoring veterans in Folsom, according to Ocampo.

Brainerd said there are 76 street signs around the Folsom metropolitan area that contain a gold star signifying the street was named for a member of the fallen. There is a stone monument erected at Folsom Public Library containing the names of fallen veterans.

Former Folsom Mayor Stephen Miklos renamed the Folsom Veterans Day parade in May 2009 after Spence’s death.

The parade lineup this year includes more than 2,000 participants made up of a variety of community groups including marching bands, floats, classic cars, horseback riders and color guards, Brainerd said.

For more information call 916-461-6615 or email Ocampo at tocampo@folsom.ca.us.

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