TIFTON — Veterans Day celebration will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 10 at Veteran’s Park in downtown Tifton.

Veterans Day was officially created as an American holiday in 1954 as a day set aside to honor the service of all veterans.

Originally instituted as Armistice Day, which was celebrated to mark the end of World War I, Veterans Day is sometimes confused with both Memorial Day, which is to honor those who died while in service to the country, and Armed Forces Day, which honors those currently serving.

The local celebrations are attended every year by veterans from every branch of the military as well as family and friends.

State Representative Clay Pirkle will be the key note speaker.

Chris Beckham will be Master of Ceremonies, Tifton Mayor Julie Smith will provide the welcome and introduce the speaker, the Rev. Dan Eidson will lead the invocation and the benediction, Brenda Saunders will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and perform “God Bless the USA,” and the National Anthem will be performed by Seth Gainer, Jhalin Pittman, Haley Alexander and Hayle Moore.

The colors will be presented and retired by the Tifton Fire Department Honor Guard, and TAPS will be played by Megan DuBose.

TAPS is the bugle call played at dusk, during flag ceremonies and at military funerals by the United States Armed Forces. It was used by the military starting in the 1800s to signal “lights out,” or that work was over for the day.

Sponsors include 110th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, American Legion Post 21, City of Tifton, Downtown Development Authority of the City of Tifton, Jack Stone, Lowe’s Home Improvement Tifton, Tift County, Tift County Board of Commissioners, Tifton Mayor and City Council, Tifton Police Department and Veterans of Foreign Wars.