FREEDOM 250 NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE LEADS THE HOLIDAY'S OFFICIAL CEREMONIES

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May 12, 2026, 08:00 ET

The 2026 edition of the NMDP moves to a special 10 a.m. start to begin a full day of 250th commemorations

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The American Veterans Center (AVC) is proud to announce that the Freedom 250 National Memorial Day Parade Presented by Boeing, will return to Constitution Avenue on Monday, May 25, 2026, for a very special 250th anniversary commemoration. As part of Freedom 250, the national platform leading the celebration of the nation's 250^th, the National Memorial Day Parade anchors a full day of commemorations honoring our nation's most sacred holiday, while serving as a major national moment of remembrance and unity.

For the first time in its 21-year-history, the parade will begin at 10:00 a.m. ET, preceded by musical performances beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Constitution Avenue in front of the National Archives, the official starting point of the parade route. The earlier start anchors a full day of commemorations planned across the nation's capital.

In addition to honoring stories of sacrifice that have allowed America to celebrate its 250th year, the 2026 parade will commemorate several notable anniversaries:

The 85th Anniversary of the United States' entry into World War II, with the parade joined by a contingent of living legends of our 'Greatest Generation' representing the 400,000 who did not come home.
The 75th Anniversary of the ongoing Korean War, and the sacrifice of Chaplain and Medal of Honor recipient Fr. Emil Kapaun. Joining will be living Korean War veterans, along with military chaplains honoring this incredible story.
More than 50 years after the war, veterans of Vietnam will receive a 'Welcome Home' in honor of those who did not return.
The 35th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, with hundreds of Gulf War veterans marching down Constitution Avenue in honor of victory, 35 years ago.
In honor of the lives lost 25 years ago on September 11, 2001, survivors and first responders will gather to remember the nearly 3,000 lives taken on one of the darkest days in modern history.

"The sacrifice we honor on Memorial Day is the price we pay for the freedoms we celebrate on Independence Day," said Tim Holbert, President of the American Veterans Center. "For more than two decades, the AVC has been proud to bring the National Memorial Day Parade to thousands along Constitution Avenue and millions of homes around the country on television, all intended to spotlight that ongoing spirit of American service and sacrifice. And we have never been prouder to do so than in this very special historic year."

"Freedom 250 is honored to stand alongside the American Veterans Center in elevating this year's National Memorial Day Parade to a moment of national reflection and unity," said Freedom 250 CEO Keith Krach. "Memorial Day reminds us that freedom is not inherited, it is secured through sacrifice and renewed by each generation. This commemoration is not only about honoring those we have lost, but about recommitting ourselves, as a nation, to the values they defended. From Constitution Avenue to communities across the country, we are inviting every American to participate in carrying those values forward."

"Boeing is proud to support the Freedom 250 National Memorial Day Parade and to stand with the American Veterans Center in honoring the courage and sacrifice of our service members," said Jeff Shockey, Executive Vice President of Boeing Government Operations, Global Public Policy & Corporate Strategy. "As we celebrate the nation's 250th, we reaffirm our commitment to veterans, their families, and the communities that support them."

The National Memorial Day Parade is the largest Memorial Day event in the nation and serves as a timeline of American history, featuring historical re-enactors, military veterans, active-duty personnel, honored families of our fallen and celebrities and entertainers who will be announced in the days to come. Together, they honor and salute the men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the United States of America.

For more than two decades, the parade has drawn hundreds of thousands of attendees annually from all corners of the nation to flood the sidewalks of Constitution Avenue and get a glimpse of America's heroes. In addition to the live, in-person experience, the parade's television special will broadcast across the country through major network affiliates (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, CW) and worldwide to every military installation and Navy ship at sea on American Forces Network, reaching a collective audience of more than 100 million households.

Additional details on participating celebrities, dignitaries, and musical performances will be announced in the coming days. For the latest updates, follow @AmericanVeteransCenter on Instagram and Facebook, @AVCUpdate on X, visit NationalMemorialDayParade.com, and join over one million subscribers on AVC's YouTube channel at YouTube.com/AVCvideos.

The American Veterans Center (AVC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation dedicated to guarding the legacy and honoring the sacrifice of our military personnel from every generation. The National Memorial Day Parade is held annually in Washington DC. For more information, visit www.AmericanVeteransCenter.org.

SOURCE The American Veterans Center