U.S. Flags adorn the graves of more than 4,000 fallen veterans at Alexandria National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2024.
Alexandria will mark Memorial Day 2026 with a series of ceremonies and community events honoring the service members who gave their lives in defense of the United States.
Originally known as “Decoration Day,” Memorial Day is dedicated to honoring military personnel who died in service, whether in combat, from injuries or as the result of wartime conditions.
In Alexandria, local organizations, veterans’ groups, and residents come together each year to ensure that these sacrifices are not forgotten.
“[Memorial Day is] a reminder that there are certain ties that bind us together as Americans, regardless of our differences,” said former President Barack Obama when he joined hundreds of local volunteers at Alexandria National Cemetery in 2024.
The weekend events begin Saturday, May 23, at 9:30 a.m. with a community effort at Alexandria National Cemetery. The public is invited to participate in the ritual of American Flags-in-the-Ground, Flowers on the Graves. Led by VFW Post 609, scouts, cadets, Daughters of the American Revolution and local church groups will position American Flags and flowers from Memorial Day Flowers Foundation, on all 4,229 veterans’ graves at the Alexandria National Cemetery. 1450 Wilkes Street. Contact Jerry Krueger for more information. jerrykrueg@aol.com
On Memorial Day morning, commemorative activities continue at the cemetery. Join Travis Manion Foundation members as they position specially designed wooden commemorative coins on 100 veterans’ graves. Contact Post 609 comrade Tejas Patel for more information. tejas.patel.vfw@gmail.com
Later in the morning, an official ceremony hosted by American Legion Post 24 at 11a.m. will be held at the cemetery’s rostrum, featuring wreath presentations and a gathering for attendees.
At the same time, the city will also host a major public ceremony at Rocky Versace Plaza, honoring 68 Alexandrians who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. At 11 a.m. the Friends of Rocky Versace will host the City’s Memorial Day Ceremony. Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 2701 Commonwealth Ave. Contact COL (ret.) Kevin Rue, for more information. Forv59@gmail.com or 703- 931-3721.
The Alexandria observances are part of a larger regional commemoration across the Washington, D.C. area. Major national ceremonies and tributes are expected to draw millions of visitors to some of the most significant Memorial Day commemorations in the country. Highlights will include the solemn wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, the National Memorial Day Concert on the Capitol lawn, the National Memorial Day Parade, and the Rolling to Remember motorcycle ride (formerly Rolling Thunder).
Interest in these events is driven higher by the approaching semiquincentennial – the celebration of our country’s 250th birthday.
“The Veterans of Foreign Wars joins a thankful nation in proudly honoring our nation’s active duty, Guard and Reserve soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen, guardians, and Coast Guardsmen who are defending freedom both here at home and around the globe,” said VFW Post 609 Commander Jerry Krueger. “Together, these events offer residents and visitors an opportunity to reflect, remember and pay tribute to the men and women whose sacrifices continue to shape the nation’s history.”
Former President Barack Obama places a flag at the grave of a fallen service member at Alexandria National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2024.