Walnut Creek Sets Nov. 11 Veterans Day Ceremony at Lesher Center

The City of Walnut Creek will host its annual Veterans Day observance on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, according to a City of Walnut Creek news release issued Tuesday by Public Information Officer Elizabeth Sheets Orcutt. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Ringing of 11 Bells, Marine Corps Keynote, and Walnut Creek Concert Band

The Nov. 11 program will open at the 11th hour with the ringing of 11 bells in honor of veterans. Mayor Kevin Wilk will welcome attendees, followed by a presentation of colors, the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance, and an invocation by Rabbi Daniel Stein of Congregation B’nai Shalom.

Major Patrick Lieneweg of the U.S. Marine Corps will deliver the keynote address. Throughout the ceremony, the Walnut Creek Concert Band will perform musical selections including “With Honor” and the “Salute to the Armed Forces” recognizing the military service branches. The observance will also include a moment of silence and blessing before concluding with closing remarks from Mayor Wilk.

According to the city’s announcement, this year’s observance centers on service, community inclusion, and honoring those who have served in defense of the Constitution, while also remembering veterans who have experienced wounds, housing insecurity, or hardship.

“Honoring veterans means more than expressing our gratitude on one day,” Mayor Wilk said in the release. “It means supporting them with care, resources, and compassion, and building a community where their service and contributions are remembered every day.”

November and December Live Performances at the Lesher Center

Following the Veterans Day ceremony, the Lesher Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive will host a full slate of November and December performances and community events, according to Your Town Monthly:

• Diablo Ballet — The Nutcracker Suite (Friday & Saturday, Nov. 13–14, tickets $32–$61): Diablo Ballet opens its 33rd season with Julia Adam’s two-act production set in a 1950s San Francisco hotel.
• Gretchen Parlato (Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m., tickets $51–$86): Evening concert at the Lesher Center.
• Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet (Saturday & Sunday, Nov. 21–22, tickets $25–$130): Seasonal favorites paired with contemporary dance.
• Craft Fest (Saturday, Nov. 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free admission): Daytime artisan and holiday craft marketplace.
• FOREJOUR — Tribute to Foreigner & Journey (Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m., tickets $44): Evening tribute concert.
• Center REP’s A Christmas Carol (Wednesday, Dec. 9 – Wednesday, Dec. 23, tickets $0–$96): Holiday theater production following Ebenezer Scrooge.
• Christmas Dreaming with Stella Cole (Saturday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m., tickets $71–$90): Holiday concert program.
• The Biggest Gift (Friday – Sunday, Dec. 18–20, tickets $18): Family holiday stage production featuring Santa’s elves and Rudolph solving the mystery of missing letters.