National Veterans Memorial and Museum Announces Memorial Day Weekend Ceremonies, Events

Free Admission for All on Memorial Day;
Numerous Opportunities to Honor, Remember Fallen Service Members 

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM) today announced a series of Memorial Day Weekend experiences, events and ceremonies designed to honor, remember and share the stories of our country's brave servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives protecting our freedoms. Events include various fitness and wellness experiences, a candlelight vigil for Gold Star families, and the annual NVMM Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony (in person and online).

"Memorial Day is our opportunity to honor all who have fallen while serving our nation," said Lt. General Michael Ferriter, president and CEO, National Veterans Memorial and Museum. "We hope that everyone in our great nation will make time to remember those who gave their all for our country. Whether you can join us in person or online, we are confident there is an event this weekend that will allow anyone to do just that."

NVMM's generous annual partners make it possible to provide free admission for all on Memorial Day, including the Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at 10 a.m. Guests are asked to pay it forward, by donating in person or making a memorial gift online, to allow the NVMM to continue to provide programming and events for Veterans, Families of the Fallen and our communities.

Memorial Day Weekend events include:

Saturday, May 27
CrossFit Hero Workout – "The Murph" (Heats at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.) | $25
Join the NVMM and CrossFit Clintonville for a traditional Memorial Day workout honoring Medal of Honor recipient and Navy SEAL, Lieutenant Michael Murphy. Registration includes a limited-edition T-shirt honoring the men of Operation Red Wings, free parking and free museum admission for the remainder of the day.

Memorial Day Ride (9 a.m.) | $25
Motorcyclists are invited to honor our fallen service members with a Memorial Day Weekend ride starting at Farrow North Harley-Davidson in Sunbury. The ride will have a police escort to the NVMM. Registration includes a limited-edition T-shirt, free parking and free museum admission on ride day.

Sunday, May 28
Jiu Jitsu Seminar with Dustin Ware (9 a.m.) | FREE
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 3rd-Degree black belt Dustin Ware will lead a special Jiu Jitsu seminar. As a sports administrator for the Ohio School Athletic Association and Subject Control Consultant for the Franklin Country Sheriff's Office Training Academy, Dustin is excited to bring his technique and skill to this special class at the NVMM.

Memorial Day Run, Walk, Ruck and Roll 5K (9:30 a.m.) | $50
The NVMM annual Run, Walk, Ruck and Roll honors all servicemen and women from across all military branches who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Whether in person or virtual, the race is #MoreThan5K and includes sharing stories, honoring Veterans and educating people on the impact of service. Registration includes a 2023 5K T-shirt, a specially designed coin and two admission tickets to the NVMM.

Gold Star Family Candlelight Vigil (8 p.m.) | FREE
During Memorial Day Weekend, we honor the sacrifices of families who have lost a loved one in service to our country with a Candlelight Vigil that consists of a procession from the museum rooftop down to Memorial Grove where guest speaker, Major General (Dr.) Sharon Bannister, U.S. Air Force (Retired), a Gold Star daughter, will share remarks. Her father, U.S. Air Force Captain Stephen Rusch, was shot down over Laos in 1972. Sharon was six years old, and her sister, Rebecca, was just three when their father was declared missing.

Monday, May 29
Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony (10 a.m.) | FREE and Virtual
We invite you to reflect on the service and sacrifice of our fallen service members and their families with our annual Remembrance Ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. (ET) on the NVMM rooftop. The keynote message will be provided by General Michael Garrett, U.S. Army (Retired), who spent 37 years commanding units in combat operations. Tune-in online on YouTube or Facebook.

Additionally, the two winners of the "We (Heart) Veterans Pin Design Challenge," a national STEM contest for fourth through twelfth graders, will be at the NVMM on Memorial Day. Daniel Grinman Rivera, a 7th grade student from San Antonio, Texas, and Harrison Rothschild, an 11th grade student from Copley, Ohio, will present pins to visiting Veterans at the museum. The STEM contest gave students a chance to test their creativity and engineering skills to design a 3D pin that gives thanks to our U.S. military Veterans. It was a joint effort of Future Engineers through Battelle and the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP), which provides an accessible pathway of STEM opportunities for elementary school through to post-doctoral students and educators alongside U.S. Army researchers.

About the National Veterans Memorial and Museum 

The National Veterans Memorial and Museum takes visitors on a narrative journey telling individual stories and sharing experiences of Veterans from all military branches throughout history. The National Veterans Memorial and Museum pays tribute to the sacrifices of men and women in service and their families. History is presented through a dynamic, participatory experience with photos, letters and personal effects, multi-media presentations, and interactive exhibits. Together, these elements link our national story of service to the larger context of the world. 

SOURCE National Veterans Memorial & Museum