About This Event
Why We Gather
The Military Appreciation Celebration is a full day of honoring veterans, bringing the community together, and raising money to support local veterans and their families.
The Veterans Support Commission puts the event on every year at FRed Lobster in Gladewater. Gates open at 8:00 AM, the opening ceremony starts at noon, and the music keeps going late into the night.
Throughout the day there will be three live bands, an off-road, overland and military vehicle expo, a Show & Shine, craft and trade vendors, nonprofit veterans booths, food trucks, auctions, a candlelight ceremony, fireworks after dark, and bounce houses for the kids.
Your gate admission, auction bids, 50/50 tickets, and pin-up votes all help fund the Veterans Support Commission’s work supporting local veterans and their families.
$10 at the gate. Enter the grounds by the fireworks stand. Free parking is available on site, and free dry camping starts Friday for anyone who wants to stay the night. The event is BYOB, but we ask everyone to help us keep things family friendly, especially during the daytime hours.
Weekend Schedule
The off-road expo gets things started Friday evening, followed by the full Military Appreciation Celebration all day Saturday. Check back often. Times are subject to change.
Friday, September 25, 2026
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Last Year's Fireworks Show
Details on the individual activities are on the Veterans Support Commission's event page and the Facebook event.
Off-Road, Overland & Military Vehicle Expo
The VSC Off-Road, Overland & Military Vehicle Expo, presented by EquipmentShare, runs both Friday and Saturday.
Friday, September 25: Gates open at 5:00 PM for trail runs, a campfire cookoff, live music, and the expo kickoff.
Saturday, September 26: The expo continues as part of the Military Appreciation Celebration with Show & Shine registration, the flex ramp, challenge course, prizes, awards, military vehicles, overland builds, and the VSC Offroad Crew ride to the river and back.
For tickets, registration, and full expo details, visit the Off-Road, Overland & Military Vehicle Expo page on the Veterans Support Commission website.
Live Music
Three bands take the stage throughout the day and into the night.
Pin-Up Contest
The VSC Pin-Up Contest starts at 1:00 PM, with contestants competing for the title of VSC Pin-Up Girl and a spot in the VSC Pin-Up Calendar.
The crowd helps choose the winner, and donations raised through the contest support Veterans Support Commission programs for local veterans and their families.
For voting, applications, calendar information, and full contest details, visit the Pin-Up Contest page on the Veterans Support Commission website.
Vendors
There will be plenty to browse throughout the day, including craft and trade vendors, artisans, community organizations, veteran groups, and several food trucks to try.
Come ready to walk around, shop, eat, meet some good people, and see what everyone brought out.
For the latest vendor information, visit the Vendors section on the Veterans Support Commission website.
Volunteer or Sponsor
The Military Appreciation Celebration would not happen without volunteers and local sponsors. Whether you can give a few hours to help during the event or your business wants to support the celebration, the Veterans Support Commission would love to hear from you.
For volunteer opportunities and sponsorship information, visit the Veterans Support Commission website.
Camping
Free camping is available starting Friday, September 25, 2026. Come out for Friday night’s off-road expo, stay through Saturday’s celebration, and make a weekend of it.
Camping is primitive, so plan to be self-contained. There are no water, sewer, or electric hookups in the pasture.
This is still an active pasture. The livestock will be moved out for the event, but they may leave a few reminders behind, so watch your step.
If you arrive early to set up, please close any gate you open behind you.
Questions
For the latest event information, contacts, directions, and updates, use the links below. The Veterans Support Commission handles the official event details and keeps the most current contact information on its site.