Special Events and Commemorations

American flags are placed beside grave markers near a tall tree and stone wall.
Memorial Day at Antietam National Cemetery, May 2025.

NPS / David Chui

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who lost their lives while serving in the US military. Each May, many NPS national cemeteries commemorate Memorial Day through ceremonies, speakers, and music. Volunteers and staff place American flags on graves in recognition of the individual and collective impact of military conflict throughout the nation's history.

Visit each park's website or social media for the most current event details, volunteering opportunities, and general visiting information.


Decoration Day

In the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, communities and towns began to organize commemorations to mourn the lives lost in the war. These events took place in states from north to south and varied in date and tradition, a reminder of the conflict’s sweeping impact on towns and communities across the country.

Most events shared a cemetery decoration practice. Over the next decades, the name Memorial Day would be used with, or in place of, Decoration Day. The day continued to be a national collection of local ceremonies until it formally became a national observance over a century later, when Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday in 1971.

Events to honor both Decoration Day and Memorial Day continue to bring local groups, veterans, families, and visitors together in personal and national reflection.

Veterans Day

Each November, events and ceremonies are held in NPS national cemeteries to honor the dedication and sacrifice of those who served in the American military. This legacy of service is continued today by the veterans who are employees and volunteers who care for national cemetery landscapes.

Visit each park's website for news on upcoming events.
A dusting of snow covers rows of marble headstones, a statue of an eagle on a pedestal, and trees
Commemorating Veterans Day

Ceremonies, parades, service projects, and other events happening in national parks in honor of Veterans.

AJ, in NPS uniform, stands in an area of turf and leans to spray the face of a grave marker.
Honoring Veterans

Recognizing some of the veterans who continue in service by caring for national cemeteries as NPS employees.

Wreaths Across America

Each December, volunteers and organizations lay wreaths on the headstones of military service members at locations across the country and abroad. The event is coordinated by Wreaths Across America, a non-profit organization started in 2007 with the mission to "Remember, Honor, and Teach."

Several NPS national cemeteries participate in the annual event, inviting volunteers and attendees to honor military veterans by placing wreaths. Visit each location's website for news on upcoming events.
Wreaths on each grave accentuates the circular pattern of headstones at Poplar Grove National Cemetery.
Wreaths accentuate the circular pattern of headstones in section five of Poplar Grove National Cemetery, December 2023.

NPS / Pat Schmidt

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Last updated: May 19, 2026

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