Memorial Day Parade in 2006. Photo by T.D. Ford.
Memorial Day Parade in 2006. Photo by
T.D. Ford.
Ah, Memorial Day in D.C.: When tourists from around the country and residents who haven’t escaped to another area come together to celebrate our nation’s veterans and the unofficial start of summer.
The city boasts several well-known Memorial Day events, but there are some smaller celebrations in the District and other local areas to enjoy during the three-day weekend. Check out DCist’s list below and add your own favorite events in the comments.
In D.C.
Love patriotic music and sitting on grass? Check out the free National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol. The annual tradition will once again be hosted by actors Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise, who DCist recently spoke to. Groups including the National Symphony Orchestra, U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters and U.S. Army Chorus will perform. “American Idol” winner Candice Glover and other soloists will also entertain the crowd. Gates open at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Veterans and marching bands will once again head down Constitution Ave. on Monday for the National Memorial Day Parade, which begins at 2 p.m. Sure, you could stay home and watch the parade on TV or live stream. But then you won’t get to enjoy the massive crowd!
Get your earplugs out and head to one of the many events put on by Rolling Thunder, a group of veterans on motorcycles, including Friday’s candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Sunday’s “Ride for Freedom.”
Iraq War Veteran Chris Goehner will lead a workout Monday on Roosevelt Island at 9 a.m. Register for the My Bootcamp workout here.
Brightest Young Things will host a BBQ Extravaganza at Jack Rose in Adams Morgan on Saturday
at 6 p.m.
It’s supposed to be cloudy, windy and kind of cold all weekend, so go enjoy the public pools! They open this weekend.
Outside of D.C.
Celebrate Memorial Day at the home of one of the most famous American veterans: George Washington. Watch the sunset Saturday or Sunday at Mount Vernon while enjoying wine and desserts. Tickets can be purchased here.
The annual National Memorial Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery begins Monday at 11 a.m. with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
If you require fireworks to accompany your patriotic holidays, Wolf Trap has you covered. The President’s Own” United States Marine Band performance Sunday will be followed by pretty explosions in the sky.
While it may not be this country’s most famous tea dumping event, the Chestertown Tea Party Festival in Md. features a reenactment of their town’s necessary but kind of wasteful rebellion on Saturday. Sunday’s festivities include a Memorial Day parade.
Head to the Delaplane Strawberry Festival in Va this weekend and enjoy some “hayrides, old fashioned field games, dancing, music, magic, storytelling, crafts, a petting farm, an antique car show, bake sale, hikes in the shadow of the Appalachian Trail, face painting, cake-walking, a Corn Hole Tournament, a monkey” and, one would assume, strawberries. Proceeds fund Emmanuel Episcopal Church outreach ministries and grants to organizations in the local community and state. Did we mention there will be a monkey?
