A free concert by Purple Haze, a Jimi Hendrix tribute band, and DJ Takyon will highlight Veterans Appreciation Day Sunday at City Park.

Benicia Mayor Elizabeth Patterson will speak during the opening ceremonies. Also participating will be the American Legion Color Guard.

Organized by the Downtown Benicia Alliance at the suggestion of Frank Cassese, the event will have beer, food and beverages, including $2 craft beer for both veterans and active members of the military.

Downtown merchants also are participating by donating drawing items and offering discounts.

Among those participants are Benicia Main Street, 90 First St., which has donated $100 in Downtown Benicia Dollars, which can be redeemed for purchases; Sailor Jack’s Restaurant, 123 First St., which is discounting food bought by veterans and active military members starting at 1 p.m. Sunday through closing Tuesday night, Veterans Day; Cullen’s Tannery Pub, 131 First St.; Courtyard Customs, 333 First St. Unit D, offering to change watch batteries for veterans and active military for $3 through Dec. 31, and donating three embroidered hats and three embroidered shirts for the drawing, and Golden Horseshoe Antiques, 415 First St., which has donated a book on Vietnam.

Also participating are Pups N Purrs, 422 First St., discounting by 10 percent purchases by veterans and active military from Sunday through Tuesday and giving a $20 gift certificate to the drawings; Eileen Stern Re-Max Realty, 426 First St., which gave 200 American flags for the commemoration; Lucca Bar and Grill, 439 First St., giving veterans and active military a 20 percent discount on food through Tuesday and donating $25 gift certificates to the drawing; and Double Rainbow, 560 First St., donating a $25 gift certificate for the drawings.

Also, Lindsay Art Glass Gallery, 109 East F St., has donated a glass ornament to the drawing; Benicia Magazine and Urban Notion, 611 First St., each has given $50 in Downtown Dollars for the drawings; the Steffen Collection, 627 First St., is offering veterans and active military 25 percent off Sunday purchases and has given a $25 gift card to the drawing; Studio 41, 700 First St., has assembled a $600 gift basket for the drawing; and The Rellik Tavern, 726 First St., is helping supply the craft beer providers and is giving $100 in gift cards to the drawing.

In addition, Floors on First, 840 First St., has donated a holiday carpet to the drawing; A Jewel in the Sky, 919 First St., is offering a 25 percent discount on regularly-priced items, and cutting prices an additional 10 percent for veterans and active military members; Jordan Real Estate, 1038 First St., is giving $100 in Downtown Dollars to the drawing; Angelina’s Family Kitchen is giving 200 biscotti to the drawing; and the Rotary Club of Benicia is donating $350 in food and beverages for the event.

The American Legion Post 101 is providing a barbecue grill as well as volunteers to prepare food at the Veterans Memorial Building, 1150 First St.

Tickets for beer and food will be sold for $1 each. Veterans and members of the military will be able to buy beer or food for two tickets; others will need four tickets for the same purchase.

To distinguish military and veterans from the general public, red, white and blue wristbands will be given to the military members, and sky blue bands will be distributed to others.

Although 100 folding chairs will be set up at the park, at the corner of First Street and Military, those attending are being asked to bring folding chairs, blankets and tailgate-type chairs.

DBA Chairperson Leah Shelhorn said the event is a way to “say thank you to the veterans, servicemen and women who gave so much to all citizens of the United States.”

Other Veterans Day observances will be taking place in the Bay Area, too.

Tuesday is Veterans Day, when Benicia municipal buildings, the U.S. Post Office lobby and many banks will be closed in observance. Most mail will not be delivered.

For Benicia veterans, it‘s also “hot dog Tuesday,” with meals starting at $2 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Benicia Veterans Memorial Hall, 1150 First St.

Fourth-generation Benician and hip-hop and rap artist Ralph Jefferson, aka “Jack Nastie” is releasing publicly his new single, “Civilian Salute,” through iTunes, Google Play, Amazon and other websites.
In addition, he is making “Civilian Salute” available free to any veteran that requests it by emailing him at jacknastiebooking@gmail.com.

Jack Nastie keeps his ties to his Benician roots. His latest CD is named “The John Heenan Project,” named for the bare-knuckle prize fighter known as “The Benicia Boy.”

He releases his music under the Redcon-1 West label, part of the Redcon-1 Music Group founded by Soldier Hard, a military veteran. Many artists on that label specifically write and perform for the military community and those suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD.)

“Armistice Day to Veterans Day to Today” is a program that will take place Veterans Day at the Golden Gate National Ceremony, 1300 Sneath Lane, also called Veterans Way, in San Bruno.

That event starts at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, when Vice Admiral Charles Ray of the United States Coast Guard, and Captain John Quinlan, of the San Mateo Sheriff’s Office, will speak.

Music will be provided by Band of the West and other vocalists. Also participating are the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard and the Blue Star families that will present a wreath.

Among other observances, Fairfield’s ceremonies will take place 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Fairfield Center for the Creative Arts, 1035 Texas St., with a concert by Alive Music Orchestra and the reading by Marine Sgt. Maj. Jess Branch of the names of Solano County residents who have died while serving in Iraq, Afghanistan as active military or in supportive services since Sept. 11, 2001. Travis Air Force Base Commander Col. Dwight Sones is the keynote speaker and the Veterans Day parade grand marshal.

Solano County members of the Masons are honoring veterans at 2 .m. today in the Fairfield Masonic Center, 412 Travis Blvd.

Vacaville Downtown Merchants are celebrating veterans at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Andrews Park at the Veterans Memorial near Davis and Main streets.