NYC Opens Registration for First-Ever Remembrance Ruck

The free 1.5-mile event will cross the Brooklyn Bridge and connect veterans and military families with essential services.

New York City has opened registration for the NYC Remembrance Ruck, a first-of-its-kind city-sponsored event designed to honor veterans, active-duty service members and military families while connecting participants with practical support. The free event is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 13, beginning at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn and crossing the Brooklyn Bridge before ending in Lower Manhattan.

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services and New York Road Runners announced Thursday that registration is now open.

The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and cover approximately 1.5 miles. New York Road Runners lists the event as free and open to participants age 2 and older.

What Is the NYC Remembrance Ruck?

A ruck is a walk traditionally performed while carrying weight in a backpack or “rucksack.” It has long been associated with military training, although participants in the Sept. 13 event are not required to carry weight.

New York Road Runners describes rucking as walking with a weighted backpack while combining elements of cardio and strength training. Participants who want to carry weight at the Remembrance Ruck may bring an empty backpack and receive a gallon-sized water bottle at registration, according to the event page. Organizers caution that weighted participation is done at the participant’s own risk.

The city first announced plans for the event in April. Officials described it as the first city-sponsored ruck bringing veteran groups from all five boroughs together.

Event details

• Date: Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026
• Start time: 9 a.m.
• Starting point: Cadman Plaza Park, Brooklyn
• Route: Across the Brooklyn Bridge
• Finish: Foley Square area in Manhattan
• Distance: Approximately 1.5 miles
• Cost: Free
• Eligibility: Veterans, military families and civilians are welcome
• Resource fair: Scheduled following the ruck

New York Road Runners also says participants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations, including guide or support runners when needed.

A Walk of Remembrance Near the 25th Anniversary of 9/11

The timing carries added meaning.

The Remembrance Ruck comes just two days after the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. When the city originally announced the event in April, officials said participants would have an opportunity to carry the names of fallen service members and that the event would be among several activities honoring post-9/11 veterans.

Mayor Mamdani said the city wants the event to recognize both military service and the sacrifices made by veterans’ families.

“The Remembrance Ruck will bring New Yorkers together to honor and support the people who have served and continue to serve our country and city,” Mamdani said.

Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Yesenia Mata said rucking holds particular meaning for many people who served in the military because carrying a pack was often part of their everyday service.

She said the event represents “endurance, resilience, and carrying the mission forward together.”

Resource Fair Will Put Veterans Services in One Place

The ruck is intended to be more than a commemorative walk.

After crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, participants will be able to attend a resource fair at Surrogate’s Court near Foley Square.

City officials say the fair will connect veterans, service members and military families with assistance involving:

• Housing
• Mental health
• Health care
• Veterans benefits
• Financial assistance
• Community programs
• Other support services

The Department of Veterans’ Services said the goal is to make those programs easier for veterans and their families to find and navigate.

That practical component may be one of the event’s most important features. Ceremonies can honor military service, but veterans frequently must navigate several agencies and organizations when seeking housing, employment, health care or benefits.

The city’s veterans department says its broader mission includes helping veterans with employment, housing, food security, wellness, benefits and advocacy.

Event Replaced Previously Planned Ticker-Tape Parade

The Remembrance Ruck also represents a change from plans developed under the previous mayoral administration.

In its April announcement, the Department of Veterans’ Services said the ruck would take place instead of the previously announced “Homecoming of Heroes” ticker-tape parade.

That decision could generate differing views.

Supporters may see the ruck as a more participatory event that allows veterans, families and civilians to walk together while directly connecting attendees with services.

Others may have preferred the scale and public recognition of a traditional ticker-tape parade.

The city has framed the new event as both a memorial and a service-oriented gathering rather than simply a ceremonial celebration.

Who Can Participate?

The NYC Remembrance Ruck is not limited to military veterans.

Organizers specifically invite:

• Veterans
• Active-duty service members
• Reservists
• Caregivers
• Survivors
• Gold Star Families
• Military families
• Members of the broader military community
• Civilians who want to show support

That broad participation could help make the event a bridge between veterans and the communities in which they live.

Commissioner Mata emphasized that responsibility to veterans should continue long after ceremonial events end.

“Honoring our military community must extend beyond a single day,” she said.

How to Register

Registration is currently available through the official New York Road Runners event page.

Register for the Remembrance Ruck

The event page confirms that participation is free and currently lists the Sept. 13 start time as 9 a.m. at Cadman Plaza Park.

Veterans seeking information about New York City Department of Veterans’ Services programs can also visit the department online.

NYC Department of Veterans’ Services

Remembering Service Through Action

The NYC Remembrance Ruck combines remembrance with something veterans advocates have long emphasized: access to real assistance.

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge may serve as the event’s most visible symbol, but the resource fair waiting on the other side could have the more lasting effect.

For New Yorkers who have served — and for the families who served alongside them — recognition matters. So do housing, health care, employment opportunities, financial stability and a clear path toward receiving earned benefits.

The Sept. 13 event gives veterans and civilians an opportunity to remember those who died, recognize those who continue to serve and help strengthen the network supporting military families today.

For readers with veterans or military families in their lives, consider sharing the registration information so those who may benefit from the event and its resource fair know that participation is open.