Memorial Day events planned on the National Mall (2024)

FAQs

Is there a National Memorial Day Concert? ›

On Sunday, May 26, the National Memorial Day Concert will be broadcast live from the West Front of the United States Capitol on PBS and streaming online to honor our servicemen and women, their families, and all of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Memorial Day Parade at 2 p.m. The parade, hosted by Anthony Anderson and Drew Carey, begins at 2 p.m. along Constitution Avenue between 7th and 17th streets NW. WJLA 24/7 News Anchor Dave Lucas and Blanquita Cullum are also joining as co-hosts for the live parade.

This Sunday, PBS is broadcasting the 35th annual National Memorial Day Concert, hosted by Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise. Watch the event in the player above.

It took us 20 minutes of standing around to cross over many of the streets. In my humble opinion, avoid D.C. for the Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is a nice holiday around DC but most DC'ers leave the area and generally go to the beach. I am surprised that it was that crowded here in town.

The National Memorial Day Concert is sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans and is made possible by the National Park Service, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Department of the Army, General Dynamics and public television stations nationwide.

The concert is held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Do I need tickets to attend? The concert is free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary.

Where is the best place to watch the Parade? Anywhere along the parade route – Constitution Ave from 7th-17th Street, NW. The National Archives steps provide a great view. Please note, there is no reserved seating available, so please arrive early.

About the Parade

America's National Independence Day Parade takes place annually on July 4th at 11:45 am in Washington, D.C., on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Street before a street audience of hundreds of thousands of spectators.

National Mall and Memorial Parks other sites are open 24 hours a day. The early evening and morning hours are beautiful and tranquil times to visit.

The concert is viewed and heard by millions across the country and the world, as well as, in every year but 2020 and 2021, attended by more than half a million people at the United States Capitol.

Is Washington, D.C. known as the birthplace of Memorial Day? ›

Official Birthplace Declared

In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y., the “birthplace” of Memorial Day. There, a ceremony on May 5, 1866, honored local Page 2 veterans who had fought in the Civil War.

The best times to visit the museum are Monday through Wednesday. The museum is busiest on Saturdays, and the peak tourist season is from mid-March through late-July.

The Memorial Day Parade is scheduled to start at 2:00 pm on Constitution Avenue NW.

The public may visit the sites of National Mall and Memorial Parks 24 hours a day, with the exception of the Washington Monument which is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rangers are on duty at the sites to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in November - February.

Watch the 2021 concert, Sunday, May 30, 8/7c, to hear the story of Joe Phaneuf and family.

Of the two official United States holidays recognizing the commitment of members of America's military services, Memorial Day honors those who lost their lives while defending their country.

Memorial Day honors those who have died in military service, while Veterans Day in November honors all veterans living and dead. After the 2022 elections, NCSL identified at least 748 military veterans serving in the legislatures of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the five U.S. territories.