Members of the Marine Corps League Color Guard take the lead at last year's Butler Veterans Day Parade. This year's parade has been canceled.

For the first time in recent memory, the Veterans Day Parade will not go on in Butler.

John Cyprian, the director of Butler County Veterans Services, said he could not get a permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for the event because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The PennDOT permit is required because Main Street is a state-owned road, as are Jefferson and Cunningham streets, which the parade would cross were it held on Main Street.

“Everyone would be outside,” Cyprian said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

He said in addition to the lack of a permit, all bands and other usual parade entrants have canceled because of the virus.

“It’s the same as the Memorial Day Parade,” Cyprian said.

He said city officials even obtained the extra insurance required to have a parade during the pandemic and provided special language PennDOT required for the permit, but it was ultimately denied.

“Even the individual (at PennDOT) I had to call for the permit, even he is supporting us, but his hands are tied,” Cyprian said.

He is extremely saddened that two parades celebrate veterans had to be canceled.

“It’s kind of like we are forgetting what the veterans have done for this country,” Cyprian said.

However, a ceremony marking the armistice that ended World War I will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Diamond Park.

The public is welcome to attend that ceremony, Cyprian said.