Washington, D.C. is the place to be for Memorial Day Weekend Events with a lot of activities for the holiday specifically as well as summer kickoff family activities. We are usually traveling over the weekend but my family and I will be in the area and excited to check out some of the DC Memorial Day weekend events!
DC Memorial Day Weekend Events - Parade, Concerts, Memorials
1) 2023 National Memorial Day Parade - Monday, May 29, 2023
- Date: Monday, May 29, 2023
- Time: 2:00 PM ET
- Location: Constitution Avenue, Washington, D.C.
- Route: 7th Street NW to 17th Street NW
- Admission: Free
- The parade will feature marching bands, floats, veterans groups, and other organizations. The parade is free to attend and open to the public.
The parade is organized by the American Veterans Center and is presented by Boeing. The parade is a way to honor the service and sacrifice of those who have died while serving in the United States military. The parade will be broadcast live on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and CW stations nationwide. The parade will also be available to stream live on the American Veterans Center website.
2) Arlington Cemetery
Pay your respects at Arlington National Cemetery, where many American heroes are laid to rest. Witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
3) National Memorial Day Concert - Sunday, May 28, 2023
- Date: Sunday, May 28, 2023
- Time: 8:00 PM but gates open around 5:00 PM. (airs on PBS stations)
- Location: West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
- Admission: Free and no tickets are needed.
- From their website: "General Admission gates typically open at 5:00 p.m. The public will not be admitted to the West Lawn of the Capitol before that time. Checkpoints will be set up, and all bags and parcels will be checked. Guests will be required to enter through a metal detector. The gates are located at the southwest corner of the Capitol grounds. There are viewing areas for the use of guests with disabilities. More details can be found on the U.S. Capitol Police’s website in the Media Center.
4) Marine Corps Band at Wolf Trap - Sunday, May 28, 2023
“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band will launch Wolf Trap’s summer season with a program of concert band favorites including selections from The Music Man, a medley of the Armed Forces’ service songs, and more. A fireworks display will follow the concert.
- Date: Sunday, May 28, 2023
- Time: 8:00 PM but gates open at 6:30 PM for the Lawn
- Location: Filene Center - 1551 Trap Road Vienna, VA 22182
- Admission: Free and general availability seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.
- Fireworks viewing areas will open FOLLOWING the performance at approximately 9:30 PM
- Website for more info.
5) Visit the National Mall and Monuments
Explore the iconic National Mall, which is home to several memorials and monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and World War II Memorial. Take a stroll and pay your respects to the fallen heroes.
Summer Kick-Off Links for DC Memorial Day Weekend
6) Chesapeake Beaches
So many great beaches to enjoy within 1 hour of Washington DC! Here's a blog post of the top 10 Chesapeake Beaches near DC.
7) DMV Splash Pads
8) C&O Canal Boat Tours are back in Georgetown!
Tours depart at 10 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM, and 4 PM Wednesday through Sunday and last for 1 hour. Some tickets left for this weekend according to their website here.
9) Cheer on the DC home teams!
Nationals 2023 Memorial Day Weekend: Thursday, May 25 play San Diego Padres at 4:05 PM
Washington Spirit: Sunday, May 28 at 5 PM versus NJ/NY Gotham FC at Audi Field
DC United: No home games this weekend.
Washington Mystics: No home games this weekend.
10) Pick Strawberries
Strawberry season is still in full swing! Check out 8 strawberry farms in Maryland and 7 in Virginia but be sure to check their Facebook pages for daily updates on field status.
8 Strawberry Farms in Maryland (Swann Farms pictured from a week ago!)
