Manassas Battlefield Ceremony Highlights Memorial Day Weekend

MANASSAS, VA — This Friday, to mark Memorial Day, the Prince William County government will host a commemoration ceremony. It is part of a nearly 160-year tradition that pays tribute to military personnel who lost their lives in service to their country.

The commemoration ceremony is open to the public and will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday at the government center at 1 County Complex Court in Woodbridge.

Here are some other Memorial Day events scheduled around the region:

• Memorial Day at Manassas National Battlefield Park
  • Events will be held throughout the holiday weekend.
  • The battlefield's Memorial Day programming culminates on Monday with a ceremony at the Patriots Monument on Henry Hill.
• Woodbridge Beer Festival
  • Saturday, May 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • This event will feature craft beer and wine from local sellers around the region. The event will be held in Stonebridge, which will be closed to some vehicle traffic.
• Memorial Day Picnic at the American Legion
  • Monday, May 29 at 1 p.m.
  • This community event is open to the public. The American Legion asks anyone who attends to bring a dessert or side dish to share.
• Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Day ceremony
  • Monday, May 29
  • Thousands of visitors are expected to attend the event at Arlington National Ceremony which typically features guest speakers, including the president.
• Rolling to Remember Rally
  • Sunday, May 28
  • This memorial motorcycle ride will run from RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. to the National Mall. The event honors deceased servicemembers and will also raise awareness about veteran suicide.

As the observance has changed over the years, many families also use Memorial Day as an occasion to visit local cemeteries and leave flowers at the graves of family members, regardless of whether they served in the military.

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 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.