Honoring those who served

Black Mountain Salutes Veterans Day Parade returns to downtown

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
November 11, 2021

A steady drizzle did not dampen the the spirt of appreciation in downtown Black Mountain, Nov. 11, as the Black Mountain Salutes Veterans Day Parade returned for its third year.

The procession, which moved west along State Street from Black Mountain Primary School to the Black Mountain Library, featured area veterans who were joined by community organizations thanking the for their service.

The parade was led by the A.C. Reynolds High School JROTC, which was followed by the Owen High School Warhorse Battalion. Local veterans, including U.S. Navy World War II Veteran Art Lindsay, and Black Mountain Town Council Member Archie Pertiller, Jr., a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, waved to spectators while passing by. They were joined by members of the Black Mountain-based Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9157.

Boy Scouts of America Troop 50, of Montreat, and Troop 42, of Black Mountain, were each represented in the parade. Black Mountain Girl Scout Troop 2498, and Troops 42504 and 2980 of Asheville, also marched in the event, which returned from a one-year hiatus in 2020. The event has become a Veterans Day tradition since its 2018 launch by Black Mountain Salutes, a community organization founded by local veterans that works to recognize the contributions of area veterans.

Photos from the 2021 Black Mountain Salutes Veterans Day Parade can be found in the gallery at the top of the page.