For the first time in 35 years, Vicksburg’s Veterans Day Parade failed to roll.

Heavy rains from a frontal system passing through the area prevented the parade, which was the second part of the city’s two-day Veterans Day observance, from taking place.

“We can’t do anything about that; that’s God’s will,” parade director Willie Glasper said of the rainy weather. “Last night (Sunday) everyone was asking me, and I said I’d see how the weather panned out.”

Past parades proceeded despite the threat of rain or light rain, he said.

“This is the first one we ever cancelled,” he said. “The others, we might have had a sprinkle of rain here or there — pending cancellation. The weather may have been inclement, but we went on with it.

“Of course, a couple of processions some of the people pulled out, but we went on with the parade anyway, because actually, (the parades) were in the day itself. It’s kind of hard when you celebrate one part on one day, and the other part on another day, and that’s what kind of played a part in this.”

The city’s Veterans Day observance is normally held Nov. 11, beginning with the parade followed by the memorial service at the Memorial Rose Garden and a lunch for veterans.

Because Veterans Day was Sunday, the observance was split, with the memorial service held Sunday to observe the centennial of the signing of the armistice ending World War I on “the 11th month, the 11th day and the 11th hour,” and the parade set for Monday.

Glasper said Sunday’s memorial service “was beautiful as far as the attendance. We didn’t have the podium and the microphone, but everybody spoke with clarity; everything went well. We got a lot of compliments from people on what transpired. We were just very proud.”