Memorial Day Weekend 2023: Parade, Wreath Laying, Flag Setting, Music In Prince George's

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — The upcoming Memorial Day parade in nearby Washington, D.C., is part of a nearly 160-year tradition that pays tribute to military personnel who lost their lives in service to their country. Memorial Day Weekend also is the unofficial kickoff to summer in Prince George's County.

Several events in the heart of the Capitol highlight the three-day Memorial Day Weekend — May 27-29 this year. Less than an hour's drive away, Washington, D.C., offers ways to enjoy the weekend while honoring military personnel. Many families also use Memorial Day as an occasion to visit Prince George's County cemeteries and leave flowers at the graves of family members, regardless of whether they served in the military.

Below are ways to spend the upcoming holiday weekend:

Bowie Memorial Day Parade

Starting at 11 a.m., Bowie's Memorial Day Parade features marching bands, performing groups, floats and more. This year's Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal is John Jones who served in the United States Air Force at the rank of 1st Lieutenant during the Korean War. He flew an F-86 Saber Jet from 1951 - 1952. Those watching the parade can park at Bowie Marketplace or on side streets along the parade route. Vendors will sell refreshments at Acorn Hill Park. The parade will be broadcast live on the Bowie government channel (Verizon 10/Comcast 71).

Greenbelt Annual Memorial Day Ceremony

Monday at 11 a.m. will be the annual Memorial Day Ceremony hosted by the Greenbelt American Legion Post 136 and the Greenbelt City Council. It will take place at the Greenbelt War Memorial.

College Park Annual Memorial Day Observance

The annual Memorial Day Observance will be Monday at 11 a.m. at the College Park Veterans Memorial located at the intersection of Rt. 1 and Greenbelt Road. The program will include music, speakers and wreath laying to recognized the men and women who have served their country. Guests can bring pictures of loved ones, veterans alive or passed to share on the Honors Table.

Upper Marlboro Observance Ceremony

A wreath will be laid at Schoolhouse Pond to commemorate the life of Private First-Class Bernard Eugene Curtis, United States Army, who was killed in action in Vietnam on July 2, 1966. A wreath also will be placed inside Town Hall for those who gave their lives in World War II, including W. Courtney Euwer Jr. & Charles E. Ridgely Jr. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. with a light reception to follow at town hall.

Laurel Flag Setting

On Sunday starting at 11 a.m., American Legion Post 60 will place flags on the graves of veterans at Ivy Hill and St. Mary's cemeteries.

Arlington National Cemetery

The Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Day ceremony will be Monday at the Amphitheater. All ceremonies and special events are free and open to the public. Check the Arlington National Cemetery website for details as the date approaches.

National Memorial Day Concert

The National Memorial Day Concert will be broadcast on Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET. It will be livestreamed on PBS.

National Memorial Day Parade

Hosted by the American Veterans Center, the National Memorial Day Parade returns to Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., on Monday starting at 2 p.m. The parade will be broadcast live, followed by a televised program Our Sacred Honor: An American Salute, airing on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and CW stations nationwide.

National Museum of the United States Army

The National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, offers a full weekend of Memorial Day events from Friday through Monday, which are included in the general admission. Each day, these include a flag display, poppy flower-making activity and hands-on history exhibits. On Monday, there will be a screening of the documentary “Dear Sirs: A Personal Journey Through World War II 75 Years Later” and a Memorial Day Remembrance and Moment of Silence. Click here for details.

"Rolling To Remember" Rally

A series of events to honor the nation's prisoners of war and missing-in-action is set to take place over the Memorial Day weekend in Washington, D.C. The "Rolling To Remember" rally will conclude with a ride by thousands of bikers from RFK to the National Mall on Sunday. The motorcycle demonstration ride, hosted by AMVETS, is also a call for action to prevent veteran suicides. View the 2023 Facebook event here.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Annual Observance at The Wall

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Annual Observance at The Wall is set for on Monday at 5 Henry Bacon Dr NW, Washington, D.C. A wreath-laying will take place from 9:45-10:15 a.m. At noon, a ceremony begins on the East Knoll. It will be broadcast on the organization’s Facebook page and at vvmf.org/live.

The history of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, dates back to 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan called for a day of remembrance to honor the Northern lives lost amid battle during the Civil War that had ended just a few years earlier, according to History.com. As time passed, more and more people called it Memorial Day, and it became a federal holiday in 1971.

Waterloo, New York, is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day. The town’s observance on May 5, 1866, predated Logan’s call for a day of remembrance. Local businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags.

Until World War I, the holiday honored only those soldiers who died while fighting for the Union in the War, as Southern states honored their war dead on a separate day. After the 116,000-plus American deaths in World War I, the tradition changed to remember all who have died while serving in the military.

Every year, a national moment of remembrance is held at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, Americans are asked to pause for one minute in silence to remember military personnel who have given their lives in service to their country. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the midday time was chosen because it’s a time when many Americans will be enjoying their freedoms on a national holiday.