Memorial Day is an incredible time to be in Washington, DC. Like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day is a uniquely American holiday and what better place to spend it than a uniquely American city like Washington, DC. The city plays host to dozens of incredible events over the course of the weekend. If you are lucky enough to be in the city this weekend, check out some of these events to celebrate the service of our men and women in uniform:
Rolling Thunder: In 1987, a Marine visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and learned from some Veterans there that many American servicemen had been left behind in Southeast Asia. Taking a lesson from the POW/MIA organization, that Marine along with some other veterans decided that they should hold a memorial bike rally every year “until they all come home.” Now, it is one of the largest bike rallys in the country with hundreds of thousands of veterans and fellow bikers holding events around the city. It all culminates with the Rolling Thunder ride around the city, truly a site to see. For more info and a schedule check out: http://rollingthunderrun.com/schedule-2/
The National Memorial Day Concert: Hosted every year on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building and viewed by millions on PBS, the National Memorial Day Concert is free to attend and is beautiful national tribute to all the men and women who served in our armed forces of the years. Here the National Symphony Orchestra and national performing artists as well as incredible stories of fallen and wounded heroes. For more info on attending the Sunday concert at 8pm, check out: http://www.pbs.org/memorialdayconcert/
The National Memorial Day Parade: Everyone loves a parade! The National Memorial Day Parade is held every year along Constitution Ave on Monday, May 28th. Don’t miss the dozens of floats and bands celebrating our Nation’s heros in the shadow of our National Memorials. Give a salute to the hundreds of veterans featured in the parade from World War II and beyond. Don’t miss this iconic way to celebrate Memorial Day in DC: http://www.nationalmemorialdayparade.com/
Sunset at Mt. Vernon: Maybe you want to spend a day outside of the hustle and bustle of the city. Then head down to the picturesque home of George Washington along the Potomac River for the Sunset at Mt Vernon celebration. With events all day including later hours as well as wine and desserts as the sun sets. For more info and to get tickets: http://www.mountvernon.org/calendar/view/2012-05-25/5027
Need more ideas?: Click here for events happening around DC this Memorial Day weekend! And no matter what you do, remember to thank your vets and think about our fallen heroes. We get to do fun things everyday like riding bikes and Segways around DC because of their sacrifices.
