In Photos: Veterans Day Celebration returns to Houghton Park

Dozens of veterans and their families came out to celebrate at the Long Beach Veterans Day Celebration at Houghton Park on Nov. 12 for its second year after replacing the annual parade.

This year’s event began with a fun run hosted by the Long Beach Running Club, then continued with a resource fair and information from local community groups and a musical performance with the ‘80s and ‘90s tribute band Knyght Ryder.

“I’m proud of all the challenges that these men and women are taking on to help other people and to stay vital and to stay intense and to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” said Steve Keesal of the veteran community in Long Beach. Keesal is a former U.S. Army Ranger and was named Grand Marshall for the event.

A young child grimaces while a temporary tattoo with the Long Beach Veterans Commission logo is applied to her hand with water at the commission’s informational booth at the Long Beach Veterans Day celebration on Nov. 12, 2022. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)
Gus Esparza, founder of the Long Beach Running Club, shows off the medal given to participants of the Long Beach Veterans Day celebration fun run that kicked off the day’s events at Houghton Park on Nov. 12, 2022. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)
Long Beach Vice Mayor Rex Richardson and U.S. Army Ranger veteran Steve Keesal, who was named grand marshall for the event, share a quick hug before speaking at the Long Beach Veterans Day celebration at Houghton Park on Nov. 12, 2022. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)
A temporary tattoo with the Long Beach Veterans Commission logo is placed on a young child’s hand at the commission’s informational booth at the Long Beach Veterans Day celebration on Nov. 12, 2022. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)
A World War II-era fighter plane does a quick flyover of Houghton Park during the events of the Long Beach Veterans Day celebration on Nov. 12, 2022. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)
Attendees of the Long Beach Veterans Day celebration dance to ’80s and ’90s music performed by the band Knyght Ryder at Houghton Park on November 12, 2022. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)

The celebration offered activities for all ages with a beer garden provided by the Auld Dubliner and a military-themed inflatable obstacle course from the Long Beach Sierra Club and People of the Earth Krew.

During the musical performance there were two plane flyovers, one carrying the U.S. flag and a World War II-era military fighter plane that swept across the park.