Flowers of Remembrance Day: Sunday, May 25, 2025

Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) is honored to announce the fourth Flowers of Remembrance Day, to be held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Sunday, May 25, 2025, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Flowers of Remembrance Day pays homage to the first official, national, annual Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day. This ceremony first occurred at Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868, to honor U.S. service members who died in the Civil War.
Members of the public are invited to place a flower at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Flowers will be provided by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Foundation. Visitors do not need to bring their own flowers. During this event, visitors will also have an opportunity to place a flower on headstones or columbarium niches throughout the cemetery.
Schedule of Events
• 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Visitors may place a flower at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Memorial Amphitheater Display Room, which features exhibits on the history of the Tomb, will also be open to visitors.
• 9:30 a.m.–10 a.m. "Meet a Sentinel": Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Guards will take questions from the public in the outdoor bowl of Memorial Amphitheater.
• 10–10:30 a.m. History Talk on the history of Decoration Day/Memorial Day, Memorial Amphitheater outdoor bowl.
• 10:30 a.m. History Tour in honor of the U.S. Army's 250th birthday, “Memorializing Honor and Sacrifice: The Legacy of the American Revolution to American Expansion." Meet at Memorial Amphitheater outdoor bowl.
Visitor Information
• Flowers will be provided for all visitors.
• We recommend that visitors bring water bottles. Click here for a map of water fountains and bottle fillers. Bottled water may also be purchased at the Welcome Center bookstore or the water-only vending machines located near the public restrooms at Memorial Amphitheater.
• Please be respectful and remember that this day honors the fallen.
• To find a gravesite, download our ANC Explorer app. For a general map of the cemetery, click here.

Traffic Advisory
Visitors planning to attend Flowers of Remembrance Day on Sunday, May 25 should be advised that the annual "Rolling to Remember" motorcycle ride will take place on the same day.
• The motorcycle ride should not have a major effect on Flowers of Remembrance.
• However, traffic in the area may be heavier than normal, and certain roads will be closed—including Washington Blvd. from Pentagon North Parking to Memorial Circle, and the exits off 395N into Pentagon Parking and Columbia Pike. The Service Complex Gate will be open only to pedestrians, family pass holders and employees.
More Information
► Explore our Education Program materials.
► Read our blog article, "Arlington National Cemetery and the Origins of Memorial Day."
► For the latest Flowers of Remembrance Day updates, please follow our social media platforms @arlingtonnatl.