A variety of events will be held Thursday, Veterans Day, to commemorate and honor the contributions made to our country by members of the Armed Forces.

Westfield Valencia Town Center will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. to open a myriad of new shops in the Patios area of the shopping center. As part of the ceremony, several local veterans will be honored and Westfield will make a donation to a local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

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The City of Santa Clarita will hold a special ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Veteran’s Historical Plaza in Old Town Newhall. The event will begin with a moment of silence at 11, followed by a changing of the flags by the Knights of Columbus Santa Clarita Assembly and representatives from the various armed services recruiting offices.

Speakers featured in the ceremony will include Dick Jeffrey of the Santa Clarita Valley Veteran’s Memorial Committee, Rabbi Mark Blazer, Mayor Laurene Weste, Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean, and Councilmembers Laurie Ender, and Bob Kellar, who is an Army veteran.

In addition, two new Walk of Western Stars plaques will be unveiled immediately adjacent to the Veteran’s Historic Plaza, honoring Western film actors who also served their country valiantly, Audie Murphy and Jimmy Stewart.

Audie Murphy was the most decorated American soldier of World War II and a celebrated movie star for over two decades in the post-war era, appearing in 44 films. In his 27 months of action in the European Theatre, he received the Medal of Honor, the United States military’s highest award for valor, along with 32 additional medals and citations, including five from France and one from Belgium.

Academy Award winner James “Jimmy” Stewart served in the Air Force in World War II enlisting as a private and rising to the rank of colonel before the war ended. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Stewart continued to play an active role in the United States Air Force Reserve after the war, achieving the rank of Brigadier General.

The Santa Clarita Veterans’ Historical Plaza is located at 24275 North Walnut Street in Old Town Newhall. For more information on the Santa Clarita Veterans’ Day Ceremony, contact the City’s Arts and Events Office at (661) 286-4018 or visit santa-clarita.com.

Later in the day, Mayor Laurene Weste will join R.J. Kelly, former president of the Canyon Country VFW and Santa Clarita Veterans Plaza Committee and Dave Perry, representing L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, in a special ceremony at Belcaro to salute those in their nation’s service.

Residents and guests will gather at 2 p.m. in The Grove House at Belcaro for the event. The Grove House is located at 28201 River Trail Lane.