Memorial Day Ceremony With Avenue of Flags Planned For Chestnut Grove Cemetery

HERNDON, VA— A ceremony at Herndon's Chestnut Grove Ceremony is part of a nearly 160-year tradition that pays tribute to military personnel who lost their lives in service to their country.

As the observance has changed over the years, many families also use Memorial Day as an occasion to visit cemeteries and leave flowers at the graves of family members, regardless of whether they served in the military.

American Legion Post 184 is hosting a ceremony to commemorate Memorial Day at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 29, at Chestnut Grove Cemetery. In addition, there will be an Avenue of Flags from dawn to dusk, weather permitting. The cemetery is located at 831 Dranesville Road. For more information, call 703-481-1200.

Memorial Day weekend is also the traditional start of the summer season for many people. Jimmy's Old Town Tavern in Herndon is hosting its 26th Anniversary Party & Memorial Day Weekend Bash from 12 noon until closing on Sunday, May 28.

Motorcyclists participating in "Rolling to Remember" will receive a complimentary breakfast at Jimmy's starting at 9 a.m., before the hit the road at 10 p.m. Live music will begin at 12 noon both inside and in the alley. For more details, visit Jimmy's website.

ViVa Vienna is the highlight of the Town of Vienna's celebration. The festival features rides, entertainment, food, vendors, the returning BrewFest and a Memorial Day ceremony.

Here are some other events and activities taking place nearby over the Memorial Day weekend:

• Blast Off! with “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band: May 28
• Falls Church Memorial Day Parade and Festival: May 27
• Memorial Day Community Choral Concert with Orchestra, May 27
• National Memorial Day Concert Series in Washington, DC: May 26-29
• National Memorial Day Observance at Arlington National Cemetery: May 29
• National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC: May 29
• Rolling to Remember: May 28
• Art in Nature Festival at National Botanic Garden: May 27-28

The history of Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, dates back to 1868, when Gen. John A. Logan called for a day of remembrance to honor the Northern lives lost amid battle during the Civil War that had ended just a few years earlier, according to History.com. As time passed, more and more people called it Memorial Day, and it became a federal holiday in 1971.

Waterloo, New York, is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day. The town’s observance on May 5, 1866, predated Logan’s call for a day of remembrance. Local businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags.

Until World War I, the holiday honored only those soldiers who died while fighting for the Union in the War, as Southern states honored their war dead on a separate day. After the 116,000-plus American deaths in World War I, the tradition changed to remember all who have died while serving in the military.

Every year, a national moment of remembrance is held at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day. No matter where they are or what they’re doing, Americans are asked to pause for one minute in silence to remember military personnel who have given their lives in service to their country. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the midday time was chosen because it’s a time when many Americans will be enjoying their freedoms on a national holiday.