Thousands expected at Costa Mesa Veterans Day event
More than 4,000 people are expected to attend a Veterans Day celebration at the Orange County fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.
The free event, now in its second year, is part of a statewide effort titled “Veterans + Labor: Partners in Service.” It will feature live music and other entertainment, free hot dogs and opportunities to give back to veterans from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release.
Organizers include the Orange County Employees Assn. and California Labor Federation.
At 2 p.m., the U.S. Postal Service will unveil Korean War Medal of Honor stamps.
Medal of Honor recipient and Garden Grove resident Tibor Rubin, a corporal who served in the Army during the Korean War, will be one of the honorees Tuesday.
Rubin, a Holocaust survivor and Hungarian immigrant, is credited with single-handedly defending a hillside post for 24 hours and inflicting a high number of casualties on the North Korean forces. After having been captured by the Chinese, Rubin would leave the prisoner camp in a dangerous effort to find food for his comrades.
Attendees can also contribute the OCEA’s donation drive for veterans. Requested items include canned and instant soups; special-needs foods like those free of sugar and gluten; money or gift cards to buy food; baby items; and nontoxic household supplies like toothpaste, shampoo, soap and toilet paper.
The event will also include a “freedom ride” motorcycle procession that starts in Orange and ends at the fairgrounds. Participants will start assembling at 10:30 a.m. at the Orange County Labor Federation, 309 N. Rampart St., leave by 11:30 a.m. and arrive in Costa Mesa by noon.
For more information on the ride, contact Gilbert Castillo at gilbertcastillo@teamstershorsemen42.org.
An estimated 3,500 people attended the inaugural “Veterans + Labor” event at the fairgrounds last year. Officials at the time called it the largest Veterans Day event in the county in recent memory.
For more information about the event, visit https://www.veteransandlabor.com. The fairgrounds are at 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.
Meanwhile, from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, volunteers will be cleaning up the USS Iowa in San Pedro.
Those interested in the cleanup can contact Cathy Yatch at cyatch@oceamember.org or (714) 835-3355. Lunch and a tour of the ship will be provided. Organizers ask that volunteers bring buckets, rags, paper towels, gloves and goggles.
The Iowa is at 250 S. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro. Paid parking is available at Swinford Street and Harbor.
Irvine events
The city of Irvine and the Northwood Memorial Committee will honor veterans and their families with a candle-lighting ceremony at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial at 4531 Bryan Ave. The event is free and open to the public.
On Tuesday, a Veterans Day ceremony is set for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza.
For more information about both events, call (949) 724-6606.
Staff writer Rob Vardon contributed to this report.
