Preview: American Heroes – A Salute to Veterans & First Responders

American Heroes is a FREE Veterans Day celebration with patriotic family fun and country headliners on the main stage. Pay tribute to veterans, active service members and first responders during the Heroes Ceremony and bid in the silent auction benefitting veteran service organizations. Bring the whole family to The Athletic Club in The Colony on Saturday, November 8, 2025, and enjoy the festival atmosphere complete with live performances, carnival rides, fair food, a car show and a patriotic drone show finale!

Music Headliners

People watch a nighttime outdoor concert at the American Heroes Festival in The Colony, Texas, with a band playing on stage in front of a large American flag and colorful lights glowing over the crowd.

Free live music on the main stage is always a popular crowd-pleaser at American Heroes. Kick things off with Velvet Elvis at 2PM, bringing timeless swagger and classic rock flair to the stage. Then, at 4PM, 80’s Night cranks up the neon nostalgia with hits that’ll have you singing along and dancing like it’s 1985. Capping off the night from 6:30 to 8PM, the Tony Marques Band delivers high-energy country and rock favorites that guarantee a grand finale worthy of a Texas-sized salute.

See the full festival schedule here.

Honor American Heroes

Recognize our nation’s heroes for their dedication and support. Pay tribute to the selfless contributions made by men and women at the Heroes Ceremony at 5:45 PM on Saturday. If you wish to honor a veteran in your life, submit a photo taken during their time of service for this special presentation. Kids can make a patriotic button to show their support of our Veterans and decorate holiday cards to send to troops overseas. Don’t miss patriotic face painting, bead crafting and much more at the Heroes Hut!

Carnival, Car Show & Charity Auction

People walk past a row of classic cars with open hoods at an outdoor car show on a sunny day, with some vehicles decorated and a playful van featuring cartoon eyes.

Beginning Friday, November 7, enjoy rides, games and fair food at the two-day American Heroes Carnival. Then, on Saturday, November 8, don’t miss your chance to see vintage cars, trucks and motorcycles from across the decades. Vehicles ranging from Corvettes and Mustangs to Tri-Five Chevys, classic pickups and motorcycles will be present. Car lovers can register online to show off their hot rods, but enthusiasts are welcome to view all the makes and models for free. 

Stop by the Silent Auction tent and bid on your favorite items. Browse gift baskets, tech packages and donations from local businesses with proceeds benefitting Operation Comfort Warrior and One Tribe Foundation, a Veterans’ suicide awareness organization.

Click here to view the full festival schedule.

Drone Spectacular Finale

A nighttime crowd gathers in front of a lit-up stage with an American flag backdrop, while a colorful drone display in the sky spells out “The Colony” with a sailboat graphic, matching the City of The Colony's logo.

When the sun goes down, The Colony lights up the night sky with brilliant displays. Enjoy the patriotic drone finale, where choreographed drones take to the sky for a spectacle of lights and music. This show is ideal for anyone with sensitivity to loud noises. Enjoy the spectacular display set to patriotic music at one of the only Veterans Day drone shows in North Texas.

For more information on American Heroes: A Salute to Veterans & First Responders, please visit The Colony’s Parks & Recreation website. All times are tentative and subject to change. Any major updates will be posted on the Parks & Recreation Department’s Facebook.