Illumination Saturday at Fredericksburg National Cemetery ICYMI

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — One of more unique Memorial Day celebrations in the broader Northern Virginia area is the 22nd annual Fredericksburg National Cemetery Illumination. More than 15,300 candles, or luminarias, will bathe the cemetery in a glow to honor men and women who have died while serving their country.

It'll take place 8-11 p.m. Saturday at both the cemetery and the Battlefield Visitor Center, 1013 Lafayette Boulevard. The rain date is Sunday but the weather appears as though it will cooperate on Sunday. Included in the program will be a walking tour to views the thousands of lighted candles. Each one represents one of the soldiers buried in the cemetery. Taps will be played every half hour.

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Parking is limited, so you might want to take advantage of a free shuttle service. It'll run from a University of Mary Washington parking lot on the corner of William Street and Sunken Road. Handicapped parking will be available in the parking lot behind the visitor center, with another shuttle going from there to the cemetery.

Here's more information about Fredericksburg National Cemetery, as provided by the National Park Service:

"Established in 1865, Fredericksburg National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 15,000 Union soldiers who died in the major Civil War battles that occurred between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia.

"Today the cemetery is a component of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park, a National Park Service unit preserving and providing access to the battlefields of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House.

"The battlefields’ visitor centers feature exhibits, films, and tours interpreting and commemorating the battles in the larger context of the Civil War and American history. Fredericksburg National Cemetery is one of 14 national cemeteries managed by the National Park Service.

Photo: Fredericksburg National Cemetery