The Historic Triangle is recognizing Memorial Day this weekend with ceremonies, music and special treatment of veterans.
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is offering all active-duty military, reservists, retirees, veterans, National Guard members and their immediate dependents free admission Friday through Monday. The “Honoring Service to America” program is possible through a grant from The Home Depot Foundation to serve U.S. military veterans and their families. Since 2015, the program has distributed nearly 59,000 tickets to military families.
The free single-day passes are available at all onsite ticket locations with proper ID. More information is available at colonialwilliamsburg.org/military. Colonial Williamsburg also offers military discounts on CW hotels, dining, retail, golf and spa services.
Meanwhile, special military-themed programming will be offered in Colonial Williamsburg on Monday, with a traditional wreath-laying ceremony on the Palace Green at 10 a.m. The day will conclude with “Salute to the Fallen,” a bagpipe performance from the roof deck of the Governor’s Palace at 4:40 p.m.
A community Memorial Day ceremony will also be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Williamsburg Memorial Park on King William Drive. The free event includes an honor guard, patriotic music, ceremonial wreath-laying and guest speakers. Seating is limited.
“Join us … as we honor the men and women who gave their lives to protect our nation and its citizens,” the memorial park’s website says. “These heroes served as members of our armed forces, police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and first responders.”
In Yorktown, the annual Memorial Day ceremony begins at noon on Monday at the War Memorial located at York Hall on Main Street. The Fifes and Drums of York Town will walk to York Hall just prior to the ceremony.
The ceremony’s keynote speaker is York County Historical Committee member Tim Smith, a graduate of York High School and the Shenandoah University Conservatory of Music. “Smith will speak about the women and men who gave all in defense of our nation,” according to a county news release.
Wreath laying will be conducted by the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 13, the Comte de Grasse Chapter-Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Moore House Society-Children of the American Revolution. The ceremony includes military service flags presented by the York High School NJROTC, the singing of the National Anthem and the playing of “Taps.”
In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved inside York Hall.
Also in Yorktown on Monday, Historic Grace Episcopal Church will hold a memorial service honoring those all who died while serving in the armed forces. The church, at 115 Church St., will hold a prayer service from 10-11 a.m. Following the ceremony, the church bell will be tolled 21 times.
Busch Gardens Williamsburg will set off fireworks Saturday and Sunday nights beginning at 9 p.m.
Kim O’Brien Root, kimberly.root@virginiamedia.com
![If it were not for the efforts of a William & Mary president in the 1960s there would not have been a marine science program to benefit from the school’s recent largest financial gift. Davis Y. Paschall, president 1960-1971, was instrumental in the development of the substantial academic programs of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) at nearby Gloucester Point on the York River, The Virginia Fisheries Laboratory was established in 1940 as the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory as a joint effort between W&M and the Virginia Commission on Fisheries (now the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. It was initially organized […]](https://www.pilotonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/6SCYSOUXX5GSHC7UWSYZ2RSEAU.jpg?w=408 "If it were not for the efforts of a William & Mary president in the 1960s there would not have been a marine science program to benefit from the school’s recent largest financial gift. Davis Y. Paschall, president 1960-1971, was instrumental in the development of the substantial academic programs of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) at nearby Gloucester Point on the York River, The Virginia Fisheries Laboratory was established in 1940 as the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory as a joint effort between W&M and the Virginia Commission on Fisheries (now the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. It was initially organized […]")
