Vietnam Veteran Tribute at the Fair
A tribute to Vietnam Veteran will be conducted opening night of the Manatee County Fair. This year's theme is "Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary." The tribute will honor the fallen and especially Vietnam soldiers and nurses born in Manatee County. The guest Veteran Speaker will be Ret. Colonel Lorna House, an operating room burse in Vietnam, Germany and South Korea. Her last assignment was as an instructor at the U.S. Army War College.
There are more than 58,300 names on the wall as of early 2026 and there are 8 women nurses listed on the Wall.
Palmetto Build is sponsoring Opening Night and free admission is offered. The fair opens at 5 p.m. and the ceremony will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. Cans of food will be accepted at the gate and ceremony, to be donated to the Food Bank of Manatee County. The 301 Travelers will be part of the Tribute and then play later for the entire fair.
