UVU Veterans Week and Veterans Day 2026: Events, Closures and Services in Utah County

Utah Valley University is in the middle of Veterans Week, a five-day run of events from Monday, Nov. 9 to Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, and the university's Military-Affiliated Student Hub says all of it is free and open to the public. ABC4 reported Monday that the week comes as UVU has been named a top veteran school by U.S. Veterans Magazine. Veterans Day itself falls on Wednesday, Nov. 11, with ceremonies planned in Orem, Provo and Pleasant Grove and county offices closed for the holiday.

What UVU is holding this week

The Military-Affiliated Student Hub, known as MASH, organizes the week. ABC4 reported that the scheduled events include a blood drive, a Veterans Day Brunch, a Ruck for Gratitude, a health and wellness fair, a U.S. Marine Corps birthday celebration and a clothing drive. Faculty, staff, students and community members are invited.

The most detailed schedule is on the MASH events page at uvu.edu/military-affiliated, which lists the following:

• Blood drive: Nov. 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Carrol Reid Atrium, fourth floor of the Losee Center (already held).
• Rubber Duck Hunt: Nov. 9 to 13, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., across campus. Participants bring a found duck to Room 303 of the Losee Center.
• Clothing drive: Nov. 9 to 13, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Losee Center 303.
• U.S. Marine Corps birthday: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 11 a.m., Losee Center 303.
• Veterans Day Brunch: Wednesday, Nov. 11, UVU Grand Ballroom. The MASH page lists 9:45 to 11:30 a.m., a free breakfast and a panel discussion, with free tickets through an online link.
• Ruck for Gratitude: Thursday, Nov. 12, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., UVU doTERRA Dome.
• Health and Wellness Fair: Nov. 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Hall of Flags.
• MRE Tasters Table: Nov. 12, 11 a.m. to noon, Losee Center 303 and the LA hallway.

Two of those listings, the health fair and the MRE table, carry date ranges on the page that end before they begin ("Nov. 12 to Sept. 30"). They appear to be typographical errors, and the Nov. 12 dates match the week's schedule, but MASH is the place to confirm.

Two events fall after the week. The Evening of Gratitude is listed for Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Golden Corral in Orem. A screening of "Top Gun: Maverick" is listed for Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. in Losee Center 306. A New Student Benefit Orientation is listed for Jan. 6 at 11 a.m. in Losee Center 306.

The brunch start time differs by source. The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, in a Veterans Day events list distributed Nov. 3, gives 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. UVU's own page says 9:45. Arrive early, and confirm with MASH at 801-863-8212 if timing matters to you.

The recognition

ABC4 reported that U.S. Veterans Magazine named UVU a top veteran school. MASH Director Spencer Ebert told the station that "being named a top veteran school by U.S. Veterans Magazine is an honor," and that Veterans Week "is one of the highlights of our year because it reflects exactly who we are as a community." The report does not say how the magazine chose schools or when the recognition was announced.

ABC4 also gave a sense of the population MASH serves: about 1,000 veterans, plus active-duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and more than 1,800 military-connected spouses and children.

UVU's MASH page separately lists two Military Friendly designations: a Top 10 (Gold) school for 2023-24 and a Silver school for 2024-25. Those are a different program from the one ABC4 cited, and the page does not list a 2026 result.

Veterans Day ceremonies in Utah County

The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs published a Veterans Day events list on Nov. 3. For Utah County it names four events:

• Utah County Veterans Celebration and Fair: Monday, Nov. 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a ceremony at noon at the Utah County Historic Courthouse, 51 S. University Ave., Provo. This took place Monday.
• Timpview Veterans Day Assembly: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 10 a.m., Timpview High School, 3570 Timpview Drive, Provo. The listing does not say whether the assembly is open to the public.
• Orem City Veterans Day Program: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m., Orem City Cemetery. The listing gives no street address.
• UVU MASH Veterans Day Brunch: Nov. 11, UVU Grand Ballroom, 800 W. University Parkway, Orem.

The Daily Herald's Nov. 7 events roundup adds a fifth: "Remembering Our Veterans 2026," a Veterans Day service on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery. The city describes it as a service dedicated to honoring the men and women who have served the country, and says families, veterans and community members of all ages are invited. The Herald also mentioned veteran celebrations at BYU, SCERA in Orem, Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain without giving dates or times.

I found no announced Veterans Day parade in Provo or Orem. The Provo parades that turn up in searches are Freedom Festival events held in June and July. Because the Orem and Pleasant Grove ceremonies both start at 11 a.m., you will need to pick one.

What is closed and what is open

Veterans Day is a federal holiday. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management lists it for Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, and because it falls on a weekday there is no shift to a Monday or Friday.

• Utah County government: Offices are closed Wednesday, Nov. 11, according to the county's 2026 holiday list.
• UTA: The agency's holiday service page says it runs regular service on some holidays, naming Veterans Day, Juneteenth and Columbus Day. The page does not say which schedule applies, so check the digital schedules or the Transit app. Riders heading to Orem or Provo by rail can see our FrontRunner guide.
• Schools: Each district sets its own calendar. I could not find a 2026 listing showing whether Provo, Alpine or Nebo schools are closed on Nov. 11. Families should check their district calendar.
• City offices and post offices: I could not confirm Provo or Orem city office hours for Nov. 11 from an official notice, and USPS's holiday page was not available to me. Call ahead or check provo.gov and orem.gov before making a trip for permits or payments.

Where veterans can find services

UVU students and families. MASH is in Room 303 of the Losee Center, 800 W. University Parkway, Orem, and can be reached at 801-863-8212. According to its page, MASH helps students navigate education and benefit systems and processes certification request forms for GI Bill, VR&E and DEA benefits. The page lists request deadlines of April 1 for summer, July 1 for fall and Dec. 1 for spring, and warns that late forms may delay payments. It also lists a VA Services session every Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. at MASH, a VetSuccess on Campus representative on alternating Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and VA on-campus mental health services on alternating Fridays. MASH also provides information on VA flight benefits for eligible students in UVU's aviation program. For the wider campus, see our UVU guide and UVU commuter guide.

Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs. The state agency's website, veterans.utah.gov, says accredited veteran service officers help prepare, submit and appeal VA claims at no cost, and that appointments can be scheduled through the site. It also lists help requesting DD-214 and military records (801-326-2372), education benefits and scholarships, spouse and family support, housing and homelessness assistance, and the Utah Veteran First-Time Homebuyer Grant, a $2,500 grant for eligible veterans separated within the last five years and for current service members living in Utah.

Local guides. Our veterans services guide covers the VA clinic and Vet Center options in Utah County and how the state and federal systems fit together. For anyone in distress, see our mental health crisis resources.

Other ways to take part

The Nov. 9 blood drive has passed, but donors can find future dates in our Utah Valley blood drive guide. Students looking for work clothing can see our report on the UVU PowerSuit Project. For the way the community marks the other major remembrance day, see our Memorial Day guide.

Sources

ABC4 (via Yahoo), Nov. 9, 2026; UVU Military-Affiliated Student Hub pages; Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs; Daily Herald, Nov. 7, 2026; Utah County Government 2026 holiday list; UTA holiday service page; U.S. Office of Personnel Management.