Austin VFW Post 1216 has announced plans for several events leading up to and occurring on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

A free Veteran’s Meal will be served at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, at the Mower County Senior Center.

The meal, sponsored by Mayer Funeral Home, is free to all veterans and a guest. The meal features one-quarter deep pit barbecued chicken, and all the fixings. There is limited space, and sign-up in advance is requested. For more information or to sign up, call 507-433-2370 or stop by the center at 400 Third Ave. NE.

Also on Friday will be a 6 p.m. Hormel Vets Supporting Vets dinner at the Hormel Historic Home. A dinner will be prepared by Hormel chefs Ken Alston and Tony Finnestad. Gourmet hors d’oeuvres, a four-course dinner menu, and live Big Band music will be featured. Proceeds will go toward bringing the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Vietnam Wall, sponsored by Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, to Austin.

Tickets are $125 per person. For more information or tickets, call 507-433-4243 or go to: www.hormelhistorichome.org

Another meal awaits on Saturday, Nov. 4, when the fourth Czech It Out Dinner is held from 5-7 p.m. at the Austin VFW. A Czech-style dinner will help raise funds to support Austin area veterans groups and VFW-sponsored activities, including the Honor Guard and Disabled American Veterans. There is a limited number of tickets and they are $20 each. They are available now and only on a pre-sale basis. No tickets will be sold at the door. Call 507-433-6039 for more information.

On Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, a flag retirement ceremony will be held at the VFW, starting at 3:30 p.m. That will be followed by a POW/MIA program at 4:30 p.m. and free dinner for veterans at 5 p.m.

Also that evening will be the Military Appreciation Day, hosted by the Austin Bruins, at Riverside Arena, in action against the Coulee Region Chill starting at 7:05 p.m. Active military and veterans will get free admission, via your ID card. For more information, call 507-434-4978.

Also that evening, the New Standards Concert will be held at the Historic Paramount Theatre beginning at 7:30 p.m. Veterans receive free popcorn and drink with the purchase of a ticket to enjoy the jazz trio, who perform songs beyond the usual “old standards.,” including post-1960s pop in an acoustic setting, For tickets, call 507-434-0934.