Valley Forge, PA – Valley Forge National Historical Park in partnership with the Washington Memorial Chapel and The Freedom's Foundation will observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 26 with special guided tours, a new audio tour, and a concert from the 58-bell Washington Memorial National Carillon.
Beginning Memorial Day weekend, Valley Forge National Park's popular cell phone tour will feature a new series of stories surrounding the concept of freedom and the sacrifices paid by those who protect it. To listen to the five-piece commemorative audio tour, In Remembrance, dial 484-396-1018 and select prompts 101–105.
Tour the Medal of Honor Grove at the Freedoms Foundation Located on the Freedoms Foundation's Valley Forge campus, just four miles west of Valley Forge National Park on Route 23, the Medal of Honor Grove is a 52-acre woodland dedicated to honoring every Medal of Honor recipient. A one-acre area within the Grove is dedicated to each state, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Join docents from the Friends of the Medal of Honor Grove from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and stroll the grounds that pay tribute to those who distinguished themselves by their gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty. Directions to Freedoms Foundation | Parking available on premises.
Carillon Concert at the Washington Memorial Chapel Chapel Carillonneur, Doug Gefvert, will perform a program of patriotic selections on the 58-bell Washington Memorial National Carillon beginning at 2 p.m. The public is invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy the concert from the Chapel lawn or across the street behind the paved trail. The hour-long concert will feature selections from the 18th century through today, including John Courter's "In Memoriam," written for the victims of the 9/11 attacks and conclude at 3 p.m. for the National Moment of Remembrance, followed by the sounding of Taps over the grand parade and a wreath laying. Directions to the Washington Memorial Chapel | Park in the Chapel Parking Lot
Silent SentinelsTrolley Tour
Kenneth Gavin, acclaimed military historian, will guide visitors on an exclusive trolley tour the Valley Forge landscape and explore the stories behind the structures that bore witness to the 1777-78 winter encampment and the monuments erected by later generations that commemorate the soldiers' story. This 2-hour tour begins at 3 p.m. and requires advanced reservation. Seats are limited. Call The Encampment Store to purchase tickets at 610-783-1074. Military personnel and members of the Friends of Valley Forge Park receive a discounted rate.
Tours depart from the Visitor Center at Valley Forge National Historical Park. Directions to the park.
For more information about Valley Forge NHP, please visit our website at www.nps.gov/vafo or call
610-783-1099. Learn about the park's upcoming programs and special events on the Schedule of Events page on our website. Continue the conversation on the park's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ValleyForgeNHP and share your photos and experiences.
