South Haven Salute to Veterans Boat Parade and Fly-over

Name: South Haven Salute to Veterans Boat Parade and Fly-over
Start: 2025-08-16T12:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-08-16T13:30:00-04:00
Location: South Beach South Haven Mi

Schedule

Sat Aug 16 2025 at 12:00 pm to 01:30 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

South Beach South Haven Mi | South Haven, MI

South Haven Salute To Veterans Boat Parade and Fly-over!
We invite the entire community to join the Salute to Veterans Parade, August 16th at 12:00 noon at the South Haven Harbor. Let's pack the pier!
This annual event is sponsored by Operation Injured Soldiers (OIS) and the South Haven Steelheaders.
To join in applauding these heroes, we invite you to bring your signs, flags, noise makers and cameras. Ladies from the American Legion Auxiliary will be handing out flags on the north and south piers.
The parade was inspired by a disabled veteran and friend who took disabled veterans from the Battle Creek VA Hospital fishing for the day. The boat parade grew out of a desire to recognize the veterans’ sacrifices and express American patriotism and gratitude.
Over a decade later the OIS team and the Steelheaders have organized more than 35 boats for more than 75 disabled veterans, a mix of OIS and VA Battle Creek patients to fish for salmon and trout.
The Hooligan Flight Team will fly in from the west at noon to kick off the parade. The Team will circle back to execute the Missing Man Formation - with one plane flying up out of place towards heaven.
The parade will be led by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s marine patrol unit, the Motor Lifeboat 36460 (featured in Disney’s Finest Hours about a famous Coast Guard rescue).
The American Legion Honor Guard will render a 21 gun salute, 35 fishing boats and The Friends Good Will follow. The parade will conclude with the SHAES fire boat #1 spraying water for the crowd.
Joining the celebration are the the South Haven Area Emergency Services with their boom truck reaching over the Black River near South Beach, complete with a firefighter salute for passing boats.
The South Haven Marching Band will provide live music during the event.
For more information about Operation Injured Soldiers go to the South Haven Salute to Veterans Weekend page on Facebook or WWW.injuredsoldiers.org.