Memorial Day 2022: What's Open, Closed In Falls Church

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Many services, agencies and government offices in Falls Church will be closed on Monday.

The City of Falls Church Recreation and Parks Department also is holding its annual Memorial Day events on Monday, May 30. This is the 40th year of the community tradition that will include a Memorial Day ceremony hosted by the Falls Church Veteran's Council, a 3K fun run, civic, merchant, crafter and food vendors, live music, kids entertainment, and a parade.

The parade starts at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 30 at Park Avenue between West Street and Little Falls Street. The Parade Grand Marshal is Chet De Long, chosen for his commitment and service to the Mary Riley Styles Public Library.

Memorial Day is a holiday that Falls Church residents and all Virginians look forward to every year as the start of summer, but the holiday also gives people a chance to remember all American lives lost during military service.

Remembering veterans who died while in military service in late May 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. Logan called it "Decoration Day," which it was known as for several years. As time passed, more and more people called it Memorial Day, and it became a federal holiday in 1971.

Until World War I, Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, was only meant to honor those who died while fighting for the union in the Civil War, as Southern states honored their war dead on a separate day. After the 116,000-plus American deaths in World War I, the holiday took on a new role 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. The midday time was chosen "because it is the time when many Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday," according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Some services in Falls Church are closed or modified for the federal holiday on Monday, May 30. Below are the changes to know.

City of Falls Church government offices: City offices are closed Monday, May 30.

Falls Church City Public Schools: The school district is closed on Monday, May 30.

Courts: Arlington County courts are closed on Monday, May 30. The Fairfax County General District Court, Circuit Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court will be closed on Monday, May 30.

Community Centers: The Falls Church Community Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, May 30.

Department of Motor Vehicles: All DMV customer service centers in Northern Virginia, including 4150 S Four Mile Run Dr., will be closed May 30.

Libraries: Mary Riley Styles Public Library is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 28. The library will be closed on Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30.

Metro: Metro will open at 7 a.m., closing at 1 a.m. Saturday and midnight Sunday and Monday. During the weekend, Metro will close five Orange Line stations between Stadium-Armory and New Carrollton through Labor Day. Additional closures are planned during the summer on the Blue Line between Stadium-Armory and Benning Road. See more weekend Metrorail information here.

Post offices: Closed on May 30.

Trash and recycling centers: The Recycling and Disposal Centers at the I-66 Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Road) and the I-95 Landfill Complex (9850 Furnace Road) are open regular hours on May 30.

Office of Elections: Early voting sites for the 8th congressional district primary election will be closed on May 30.

Falls Church Farmers Market: The Falls Church Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 28. Saturday's market will include a celebration of the retirement of Howard Herman, market manager.

RELATED: Chet De Long Named Grand Marshal Of Falls Church Memorial Day Parade