At 7 p.m. tonight, Thursday, October 29, the Brownsburg Field of Honor on Town Hall Green lights up. This year there are 526 flags on the green, and each one has its own light. Last November the town's first Field of Honor had 250 flags, and its biggest moment was a Saturday-morning ceremony. This year every flag stays lit for two weeks, so there's a reason to come back to the field after dark.
That change matters for anyone who lives within a short drive of 61 N. Green St. From now through Veterans Day, the field is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. It's lit for the whole run, and it shares the calendar with Halloween weekend.
Last year's goal was to grow it, and the numbers show they did
The first Brownsburg Field of Honor took place in November 2025. The Town of Brownsburg, American Legion Colonel Billie J. Holmes Memorial Post 331 and Brownsburg Parks and Recreation organized it together. After that ceremony, Town Manager Deb Cook told Current that the goal was to expand the event in future years. She also said the town wanted "to create a moment that was both meaningful and lasting."
Here is how year two compares with year one.
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Flags on the green | 250 American flags | 500 American flags plus 26 historic flag designs |
| Extras on the field | Flags and ceremony | Interpretive history signs and benches |
| Beneficiary | Indiana National Guard Relief Fund | Post 331 Scholarship Fund |
| Field comes down | Flags stood through Nov. 12 | Takedown Nov. 12–13 |
The 26 extra flags are historic designs. They mark the nation's 250th anniversary, which falls this year. The new interpretive signs cover American history and Brownsburg history, and the benches give visitors a place to sit among the rows.
The 2025 field raised more than $5,000 for the Indiana National Guard Relief Fund. This year's donations go to the American Legion Colonel Billie J. Holmes Memorial Post 331 Scholarship Fund. According to Discover Brownsburg, the fund supports college-bound children of veterans.
Every flag gets its own light
Sandy Beach Lighting & Design Co. is the illumination partner this year. Each flag has its own light, and the lights stay on through November 11. Andy and Michelle Schwindler, the company's founders, told Discover Brownsburg that their goal is to light each flag in a way that "creates a unified nighttime experience for the entire community."
In early November it gets dark well before dinnertime, and the field stays open until 10 p.m. A walk after dinner, a stop on the way home from practice, or a few quiet minutes on a bench after the trick-or-treaters are done can all happen with the field lit.
One section honors a Post 331 leader
Part of this year's field is dedicated to the memory of Col. Danny Nelson. He served 15 years as commander of American Legion Colonel Billie J. Holmes Memorial Post 331. As Field of Honor chaplain, he helped lead the work of recognizing local service members. Current reported that the section recognizes his military service and his lasting impact on Brownsburg.
So far in 2026, 113 flags have been dedicated to individual veterans or active-duty service members. Each $50 dedication came with a personalized tag on the flag, a listing in the program guide, the honoree's name on the field signage, a certificate, and the flag itself to keep. The dedication window closed September 30. If you're walking the rows, the tags are how you'll find names you know.
Halloween weekend falls during the field's first days
Because the field opens two days before Halloween, its first weekend lands on Halloween weekend. Here's how the next three days fit together.
- Thursday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m.: Illumination Night on Town Hall Green, presented with Sandy Beach Lighting & Design Co.
- Friday, Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m.: Movies in the Park at Arbuckle Acres Park. The movie is The Addams Family, with a costume contest at 6:30, the film at 7 and free popcorn, according to the Town of Brownsburg calendar.
- Saturday, Oct. 31, 5 to 9 p.m.: The town's recommended trick-or-treat hours.
The field is open until 10 p.m. each of those nights, so it's still lit after the movie ends and after trick-or-treat hours wrap up.
The ceremony is on Saturday, November 7
The main ceremony starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, at Town Hall Green, and it's free to attend. Current lists remarks from community leaders and veterans, a presentation of colors and a musical tribute. The 38th Infantry Division Band will play the United States Armed Forces medley. U.S. Rep. Jim Baird, who represents Indiana's 4th Congressional District and served in the U.S. Army, is scheduled to take part.
Retired Lt. Col. Billy Ray Moore of the U.S. Marine Corps gives the keynote. He also gave it at the first ceremony in 2025. In that speech, as Current reported at the time, he explained the difference between the two holidays. Memorial Day honors those who died in service, and "on Veterans Day, we honor all who have served."
The 38th Infantry Division Band and Moore were both part of the 2025 program. Bringing them back, along with the bigger field, makes the ceremony feel like an established tradition.
After the flags come down, Town Hall Green has one more big date
The field closes Wednesday, November 11, which is Veterans Day, and crews take it down November 12 and 13. Anyone who dedicated a flag can pick it up November 16 through 25, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
November 16 is also the deadline to nominate a Grand Marshal for this year's Christmas Under the Stars parade. Nominations are open to Brownsburg residents of all ages, and the town specifically mentions educators, coaches, volunteers and public servants. A committee of town officials will make its choice by November 20. You can submit a name through the town's nomination form. The person chosen will lead the parade and light the Christmas tree.
Christmas Under the Stars is Saturday, December 5, downtown at the same 61 N. Green St. address. Here's the schedule:
- Winter Market and Santa's Workshop from 4 to 8 p.m.
- Parade at 6 p.m.
- Tree lighting
- Photos with Santa from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and again from 7:15 to 8 p.m.
The event is free, with food and drinks for sale.
Between tonight's lighting and the December parade, the same patch of grass on North Green Street hosts both the Field of Honor and Christmas Under the Stars. For the first two weeks, until the flags come down on November 12, it will be lit every night until 10 p.m.
At The Spillman Group, we're glad to see a second-year event deliver on what the town said it wanted the first time around. If you walk the field this week and have questions about life in Brownsburg or anywhere else on the west side, we'd love to talk. Schedule a Free Consultation whenever it suits you.
