While many Memorial Day weekend events around our region have been canceled because of the coronavirus, others are going forward in new ways.
D.C.’s annual parade will be replaced with a celebrity-packed TV special, several wreath-laying ceremonies are going virtual, and the Washington Nationals World Series ring ceremony will unfold on TV and online.
Here’s a rundown of events going on over the long weekend:
All Weekend
- Arlington National Cemetery is only open to family pass holders for gravesite visitations. Visitors must wear a face mask.
- Montgomery County has an online tribute to people with county ties who have sacrificed their lives for our country. Click on the “Fallen Heroes” tab to view.
- The USAA Poppy Wall of Honor was installed on the National Mall over Memorial Day last year and the year before. This year, you can see parts of the exhibit online.
- Rockville’s Hometown Holidays Music Fest, Memorial Day ceremony and parade have been cancelled, replaced by a series of events called Festing in Place.
Sunday
- There will not be a large demonstration ride by motorcyclists in the nation’s capital this year. Instead, AMVETS, the organizer of Rolling to Remember, is asking participants around the country to ride 22 miles in their own communities, representing the 22 veterans on average who die from suicide each day.
- It’s a first: The Washington Nationals will unveil their World Series championship rings in a ceremony only viewable on TV and online.
- The annual National Memorial Day Concert, normally held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, is going virtual this year with remote performances from Trace Adkins, Renee Fleming, and the National Symphony Orchestra among others. Watch it on PBS Sunday night at 8 p.m.
- In Ballston, a night-time art installation on Wilson Boulevard will feature lights and sounds meant to remind you of the beach. It starts at 9 p.m. and will also be livestreamed on Facebook.
Monday
- Virtual wreath-laying ceremonies at several National Mall monuments will be shown on Facebook, with the first happening at 9 a.m. at the World War II Memorial.
- The National Memorial Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery will be livestreamed starting at 9 a.m.
- At 10 a.m., Chesapeake Beach will hold a virtual Stars and Stripes event on YouTube.
- Governor Ralph Northam will speak at a 10 a.m. livestreamed ceremony from the Virginia War Memorial.
- The traditional parade in D.C. will be transformed into a TV special called “The National Memorial Day Parade: America Stands Tall.” It will include appearances by Matthew McConaughey, Howie Mandel, Kristen Chenoweth and more.
- The Women in Military Service to America Memorial in Arlington, at the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery, plans a 4 p.m. virtual ceremony.
- The second night of the livestreamed Ballston Beach Projection is set to run from 9 – 10:30 p.m.
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- Latest coronavirus test results in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- Coronavirus FAQ: What you need to know
- Coronavirus resources: Get and give help in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- Park service details virtual Memorial Day commemorations
- Slow start to summer at local beaches amid coronavirus
- ‘There is still significant virus circulating here’: White House coronavirus coordinator says DC area is a hot spot
Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.
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