Richmond Veterans Day and Marathon Weekend 2026: Ceremony, Expo and Race Day Times

Sources read in the browser on October 22, 2026. Times can change, so confirm on the organizer pages before you go.

Two long-running Richmond traditions land in the same week this November. The Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony takes place on Wednesday, November 11. Three days later, the Allianz Richmond Marathon fills downtown on Saturday, November 14. Here are the times, places and costs, each taken from the organizer’s own page. More happenings are on our Richmond events page.

The week at a glance

Sources: Virginia War Memorial and Richmond Marathon pages, read October 22, 2026.

Veterans Day ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial

The Virginia War Memorial says this is the 70th consecutive year the ceremony has been held on its grounds on November 11. It runs from 11 a.m. to noon. The program includes speakers, tributes to Virginia’s Gold Star and Blue Star families, the announcement of the Military Family of the Year, winners of the Veterans Day student essay contest and tributes to each service branch.

Admission and parking are free. The Memorial opens at 9 a.m. on November 11 and stays open for visitation until 4 p.m. If you cannot attend, WTVR-TV CBS6 in Richmond and WGNT-TV Channel 27 in Norfolk will broadcast it live, and it will also be on social media.

On other days, the Memorial homepage lists hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter. The Memorial sits on five acres with a view of the James River and the downtown skyline.

Marathon weekend: expo first

The Health and Fitness Expo is free and open to the public, according to the race’s expo page. It has more than 60 exhibitors, official race merchandise and packet pick-up for runners. Enter at Gate 4 or Gate 6 of Richmond Raceway. The page lists shuttle rides to the expo on Thursday with conditions, so read it before you plan your trip.

Race day, Saturday, November 14

The official event schedule gives this order of the morning:

• 6 a.m.: bag check opens.
• 6:30 a.m.: wear blue, run to remember, at the Circle of Remembrance at 5th and Broad.
• 7 a.m.: marathon starts at 1st and Broad.
• 7:15 a.m.: half marathon starts at 7th and Broad.
• 7:30 a.m.: 8k starts at 8th and Broad.
• 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.: post-race party on Brown’s Island.
• 11:30 a.m.: half marathon course closes. 2 p.m.: marathon course closes.

As of October 22, the race site lists the marathon, half marathon and 8k as sold out, with a waitlist. The 8k is 4.97 miles through downtown Richmond. For spectators, the spectator page describes party zones at miles 7, 13 and 19 on the marathon course and mile 7 on the half marathon course, with music, noisemakers and signs. It also points to the RTRT app for live tracking.

Brown’s Island and the neighborhoods around it

The finish party lands on Brown’s Island. We covered the island’s riverfront changes in our Brown’s Island renovation post, and our Folk Festival guide shows how the island handles a crowd. The Memorial’s address is South Belvidere Street, the Raceway is on East Laburnum Avenue, and the race starts on Broad Street. We do not rank areas by event proximity, because we only state what a public source confirms. Our City of Richmond hub lists neighborhood pages such as Oregon Hill, Jackson Ward and North Side. If you are comparing areas for a move, our buying page explains how we work, and you can contact us with questions.

Looking further ahead? See Richmond fall events through mid-November for the weeks before.