The annual parade in Gettysburg honors Grand Army of the Republic Remembrance Day. Known more commonly as simply Remembrance Day, the event has grown beyond its origins to honor the Union veterans of the American Civil War who formed the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), the enormous veterans organization for loyal Union soldiers which directed the political and social direction of the United States for nearly 60 years. Once only a commemorative ceremony, the event added a parade of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) marching to the G.A.R. monument. In later years as Civil War re-enacting became popular and re-enactment units both north and south were added to the parade in a spirit of unity in a nation reunited. Today the Remembrance Day parade is still run by the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) the military branch of the SUVCW. It has become the great final event of the year and a grand reunion of the re-enacting community.