Marine veteran Samuel Castrellon will serve as grand marshal for this year’s annual San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11.
Castrellon, who came to the US at age 3 with his parents from Zacatecas, Mexico, grew up in the San Fernando Valley and graduated from San Fernando High School in 1979. After graduation, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps and worked in logistics and embarkation while stationed with MAG-28 at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina.
Castrellon, who also served in Okinawa, Japan, attained the rank of corporal before being honorably discharged with a Good Conduct Medal in 1982. He has worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District for 33 years — with 32 years being in a supervisory position — and is the plant manager at San Fernando High School.
He and his wife Maria Macias have been married for 38 years and have three children and two grandchildren.
Fred Flores, parade founder, and director, said public officials participating in this year’s event include Congressman Tony Cardenas, and LA City council members Monica Rodriguez and Bob Blumenfield. They will collectively host a pre-parade reception for registered Veterans on Nov. 11, 2021, between 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center,
Due to current COVID-19 protocols, the parade is not open to the public but will be streamed on www.sfvveteransdayparade.com. To watch, click on the virtual parade link at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.
“Veterans Day is about honoring our Veterans for their sacrifices, their service, and commitment to our country and community we live in,” Flores said in a released statement. “We are committed to honoring our Veterans in a safe manner within the current public health restrictions in place due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) delta variant.
“In accordance with the most recent LA County Department of Public Health orders, the San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade, Inc. will continue a longtime commitment of honoring America’s heroes — the Veterans of our Armed Forces with a safe and distinguished virtual parade for all to enjoy.”
Veterans and veterans groups will be able to participate in-person, driving through the parade route. To partake in person, Flores said, all participants must be pre-registered. The deadline has been extended to Saturday, Nov. 6 — no exceptions. There will be no walkup registration on the day of the parade.
Those who have yet to register can do so online at www.sfvveteransdayparade.com and upload a photo. Those veterans who do not have the capability to register online can contact Patrick Reyes at (818) 554-0951 for assistance in registering.
For those who are in the parade, face masks are required and all participants must remain in their vehicles for the duration of the drive-thru route, Flores said.
A carnival will be held beginning Friday and throughout the weekend, November 5, Saturday, November 6, and Sunday, November 7, 2021, at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, Flores said. Presale $20 wristbands (ride all rides any one day) will be sold at the carnival office Wednesday, and today, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Again, face masks are required to attend.
This is the second year the parade will be presented virtually. Flores said he hopes the event can return to having the public view it in person starting in 2022.
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Chatsworth Veterans Parade Returns, Air Show at Hansen Dam
The annual Murray County Veterans Celebration Parade will take place on the streets of downtown Chatsworth on Saturday, Nov. 6, beginning at 1 p.m.
The 2020 parade was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The deadline to participate has passed but parade organizers say they will continue to add participants until Nov. 5. Those interested in taking part can pick up and return an application today, Nov. 4, to the Murray County Chamber of Commerce, 126 N. Third Ave. in Chatsworth. There’s no fee to participate.
And on Nov. 13, the American Heroes Air Show, featuring helicopter-only aviation, takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hansen Dam Recreation Center in Lake View Terrace used by law enforcement, fire departments, and search-and-rescue teams. There will also be a performance by Lou Farah and the Professional Cars International team
Admission is free.