About the Celebration
The Veterans Support Commission puts on the Military Appreciation Celebration every year, and it lands at FRed Lobster in Gladewater. It is a full day: gates at eight in the morning, the opening ceremony at noon honoring veterans, and music until 11:30 at night.
In between there are three live bands, an off-road, overland and military vehicle expo, a Show & Shine, craft and trade vendors, nonprofit veterans booths, food, auctions, and the candlelight ceremony and fireworks after dark. Family friendly, and the whole thing is a fundraiser for the Commission's work.
$10 at the gate. Dry camping is available for anyone who wants to stay the night.
Run of Show
The full day as the Veterans Support Commission has it published. Times can move on the day.
Saturday, September 26, 2026
Off-Road Show & Expo
Rigs, overland builds, and military vehicles are on show from the time the gates open. The Show & Shine registers between 8 and 10 in the morning and hands out its awards at 3:30, and the VSC Offroad Crew rides to the river and back mid-morning. If you want to bring something out, get hold of the off-road coordinator before the date — the Veterans Support Commission has the details.
The Bands
Three sets, from early afternoon through to 11:30 at night.
The candlelight ceremony and the fireworks fall between the second and third sets, at dark.
Vendors
Craft and trade vendor spots are handled by the Veterans Support Commission, not by the club. The application and the vendor coordinator are on their event page.
Camping
Dry camping is available. It has to be self-contained — there are no utilities in the pasture for campers.
The livestock should be up for the event, but this is an active pasture and there will still be “evidence” that the cows were here. Watch your step.
If you come early to set up, close any gate you open behind you, just in case.
Questions
The Veterans Support Commission runs this one, and they keep the contact list for it — general info, the off-road coordinator, vendors, and marketing are all named on their event page.