WISCONSIN — The Badger State is still planning on honoring its veterans this year, just with most celebrations going virtual.

Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) Secretary Mary Kolar and Gov. Tony Evers will honor the state’s veterans by participating in Wisconsin's virtual Veterans Day celebration. The website and many resources are available now at www.WisVetsVeteransDay.com, with a ceremonial video to be released on Wednesday. 

“Each and every one of our heroes who donned the uniform of a soldier, marine, sailor, airman or coast guardsman – whether they served on the beaches of Europe, in the jungles of Asia, in the deserts of the Middle East, or here at home – deserve our gratitude on Veterans Day and every day,” Kolar said. “While we cannot gather in person this year, Wisconsin’s virtual Veterans Day celebration will allow us to honor the 350,000 veterans in Wisconsin who have courageously served our country.” 

WDVA’s virtual Veterans Day celebration includes a ceremonial video, opportunities to learn about those who have served, an invitation for veterans to share their military story, resources to help families and individuals engage at home, and tools to encourage public participation and social media interaction.

More on the virtual observance can be found here.

Additionally, the Milwaukee County War Memorial will hold a virtual ceremony at 10:30 a.m. here.

Those wanting to celebrate in-person can also find limited time deals. The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee will offer free entry for all active military, veterans, and their families on Wednesday and Thursday. There will also be Military Gallery Talks on these dates.

For more information, click here.

In Madison, Madison College, a top Military Friendly school, is also holding a virtual event. It will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday and can be found here.

There are also plenty of activities to do in the Green Bay area.

The United Patriotic Society’s Veterans Day Program will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay.

It is being hosted by the Forty and Eight veterans organization. Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach and Mayor Eric Genrich will be in attendance.

NEW Zoo & Adventure Park is offering free zoo admission to all veterans and active-duty military members and their immediate families, along with a 20% discount on merchandise purchases. The zoo will also have free coffee and cookies for its guests of honor.

Additionally, the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame is offering free admission to those with military IDs on Wednesday. Register on the Hall of Fame website or call (920) 569-7512 for a time to explore the museum.

The WDVA is encouraging all Wisconsinites to participate in celebrating Veterans Day on social media; veterans can post their #WisVetsStory military stories and photos on Facebook. #WisVetsVeteransDay can be used to tag all related posts on the day.