By American Veterans
May 23, 2009

 

The National Memorial Day Parade, presented by the American Veterans Center, is held annually in Washington DC, and is an opportunity for thousands of patriotic Americans to come together and honor those who have sacrificed so much in service to our country.

The event celebrates all those who have served in uniform from the American Revolution to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and seeks to educate the public about the meaning of this hallowed day.

For nearly 70 years, Washingon, 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.

Coming to our nation’s capital on Monday, May 25 2009, the National Memorial Day Parade will honor all Americans who have served – and sacrificed – to preserve our freedoms. Now in it’s fifth year, the parade has become the largest Memorial Day event in the nation, drawing over 250,000 spectators along Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC.

The parade will begin at 2:00 PM, proceeding along Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, NW, and will feature thousands of participants, including veterans and active duty service personnel, marching bands, celebrities and youth organizations. It will truly be an afternoon to remember.

To learn more about the National Memorial Day Parade, visit

Source: National Memorial Day Parade  and American Veterans Center