For nearly 70 years, Washington, DC—our nation’s capital and headquarters of our military—was without a parade on our Armed Services’ most sacred day. This despite the fact that parades on Memorial Day have been a tradition in towns across America for well over a century. Sadly, in recent years, many of these parades have been fading away, as the true meaning of Memorial Day is being increasingly forgotten.
In 2005, the American Veterans Center decided to bring this great tradition back to the nation’s capital by creating the National Memorial Day Parade. Not merely an event for Washington, the National Memorial Day Parade is an event for the entire country—a major parade which seeks to draw the attention of Americans to the real meaning for the holiday: honoring those who have served, and died, to preserve our liberties. |
The
National Memorial Day Parade has quickly become a tradition
in which Americans of all ages and generations can share.
In only its second year, the parade drew over 250,000 spectators,
a testament to the public’s desire to honor our heroes
in uniform. The parade includes nearly 200 elements, including
marching bands, active duty and retired military units,
youth groups, and parade floats—as well as hundreds
of veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm,
and Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
With the National Memorial Day Parade, the country once again has a tradition where all Americans can gather together to thank our greatest heroes, and remember those who have fallen.
Parade T-Shirts available here.
Proceeds help support the National Memorial Day Parade.
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