News Release

Shiloh Cancels All Memorial Day Weekend Events

Bobby Horton performing on stage at Shiloh in 2016

NPS Photo/Mekow

News Release Date: April 27, 2020

Contact: Randy Martin, 7316895275

Shiloh National Military Park and the National Park Service are taking extraordinary steps to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the state of Tennessee, on the process for Opening Up America Again.

In Tennessee, the stay at home order ends on April 30, with no extension expected. In compliance to the president’s 3-phase opening guidance, Phase One, calls for “all individuals, WHEN IN PUBLIC (e.g., parks, outdoor recreation areas, shopping areas), to maximize physical distance from others. Social settings of more than 10 people, where appropriate distancing may not be practical, should be avoided unless precautionary measures are observed.”

Memorial Day activities planned for Shiloh this year included cannon firing demonstrations, a Saturday evening outdoor concert, and the annual Memorial Day service in the Shiloh National Cemetery. The national cemetery service, one of the oldest continuous Memorial Day services in West Tennessee, easily draws 1,000 – 1,200 people annually. Due to the restrictions of the Phase One guidance on crowd size, which park management determined could not be adequately enforced, all events scheduled from May 23 – May 25, 2020, have been officially cancelled.

“This is not a decision we made easily, but the health and safety of the public and our employees is paramount, and we feel this is the best action to take,” said Interim Superintendent Randy Martin. “We hope that events planned for later in the summer will go ahead as scheduled.”

Outdoor spaces remain open and accessible to the public in accordance with the latest federal, state, and local health guidance and include Shiloh battlefield, Corinth battlefield, Contraband Camp, National Cemetery, Shiloh Indian Mounds National Historic Landmark, trails, and auto tour route.

The NPS encourages people who choose to visit during this pandemic to adhere to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local public health authorities to protect visitors and employees. As services are limited, the NPS urges visitors to continue to practice Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safe and healthy.  

The NPS also encourages people to take advantage of the many digital tools already available to explore their park such as Facebook, Twitter, park website, and especially the Shiloh Battlefield App.


Updates about Shiloh National Military Park operations can be found at www.nps.gov/shil, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.