Natalie Aranda made sure to tell her children why there was a Veterans Day parade happening Monday.

The Bakersfield resident said her children understood that some people have fought and died for the freedom of our country.

“It is usual for us to come to all parades,” said Aranda. “But I told them today was special.”

Aranda’s daughters, 7-year-old Alexis and 4-year-old Anyssa, stared with amazement as the war tanks rolled by, but shortly after became excited as a marching band blared patriotic songs.

“It’s too loud,” said Anyssa, as she covered her ears.

This year’s parade had 145 entries that included handfuls of veterans, decked out children wearing red, white and blue and plenty of vintage cars and dozens of soldiers.

Veterans Day Chairman, Dolores Ryan, said she has been organizing the event for the last 30 years and said the parade gets bigger every year.

“We had Junior ROTC come from Burroughs High School all the way from Ridgecrest,” said Ryan.

Ryan said the parade organization is headed by a 12-seat committee, most of them veterans, that starts making plans in August.