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

American Heroes is a FREE Veterans celebration with patriotic family fun and music 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 benefiting veteran service organizations. Bring the whole family to The Athletic Club in The Colony on Saturday, November 14, 2026, and enjoy the festival atmosphere complete with live performances, carnival rides, fair food, a car show and a patriotic drone show finale!

Music Headliners

A nighttime outdoor concert features a live band performing on a brightly lit stage beneath a massive American flag. Audience members watch from lawn chairs as purple, pink, and yellow lights illuminate the scene. Two circular promotional photographs of rock bands appear in the foreground, featuring Smash Mouth and Fastball.

Free live music on the main stage is always a popular crowd-pleaser at American Heroes. Kick things off with Fastball at 4 PM, bringing timeless swagger and classic rock flair to the stage. Then, from 6:30 to 8 PM, Smash Mouth delivers high-energy rock favorites that guarantee a grand finale worthy of the All-Stars.

See the full festival schedule on the event website.

Honor American Heroes

Four U.S. Air Force members in blue dress uniforms sing into microphones during an outdoor performance.

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 custom dog tag, color a patriotic mural, decorate holiday cards to send to troops overseas 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 13, enjoy rides, games and fair food at the three-day American Heroes Carnival. On Saturday, November 14, 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 benefiting Operation Comfort Warrior and One Tribe Foundation, a Veterans’ suicide awareness organization.

Visit the event website to view the full activity lineup.

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 at 8 PM, where a fleet of drones takes to the sky for a spectacle of lights choreographed to patriotic music. This show is ideal for anyone who is sensitive to loud noise.

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