May 24 (UPI) — Numerous events and ceremonies honoring America’s fallen veterans are set to take place this weekend leading up to Memorial Day on Monday.
The World War II Memorial 20th Anniversary Commemoration will take place at 10 a.m. EDT Saturday at 1750 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C. This event can be viewed online and in person.
Guests can visit the Poppy Wall of Honor, a tribute to the more than 600,000 veterans lost since World War I, at the National Mall from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting a number of ceremonies over the weekend at VA National Cemeteries across the country.
California VA cemeteries will have Memorial Day ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday, including in Arvin and Benicia on Satuday, and Dixon and Santa Nella on Sunday.
Florida VA Cemeteries will host ceremonies in Jacksonville and Sarasota on Saturday and in Tallahassee on Sunday.
In New York, ceremonies will take place in Corfu and Schuylerville on Saturday, and in Brooklyn and Farmingdale on Sunday.
Memorial Day Weekend kicked off Friday in the Big Apple, with sailors, Marines and coast guardsmen rubbing elbows with iconic characters such as Spiderman and Megatron.
Various branches also set up displays in Times Square for people to attempt pull-ups and try on military equipment such as Navy dive helmets.
People in New York City can expect mostly sunny conditions through the weekend leading up to Monday’s Memorial Day Parade, although there is a slight chance of thunderstorms Sunday evening.
Also on Friday, 1,040 midshipmen graduates took their oath of office at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. The graduating class included 725 men with 315 women.
The Houston National Cemetery in Texas will host Carry the Load‘s Memorial Day relay march at 1 p.m. CT Saturday. Funds raised from the event supports nationwide services such as counseling, suicide prevention, service dogs, job placement, home improvement, scholarships for children of fallen veterans and more.
Graduates will be commissioned either into the Navy as ensigns or into the Marine Corps as second lieutenants.
Marchers should bring plenty of water, as the National Weather Service Houston/Galveston predicted a heat index of 100 to 107 degrees for Saturday.
Fort Mitchell National Cemetery in Alabama will host a Memorial Day Ceremony at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday.
Summer fireworks at Chicago’s Navy Pier will kick off at 10 p.m. CT Saturday. The free events go until the end of August. Scattered thunderstorms throughout the weekend are expected to clear up at least for Saturday’s fireworks show.
PBS will air its 35th Annual National Memorial Day Concert at 8 p.m. EDT Sunday. The concert will take place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Washington, D.C., and is open to the public.
The concert will feature performances from the National Symphony Orchestra, the Army Chorus, the Navy Band Sea Chanters, the Air Force Singing Sergeants and more.
Celebrity appearances include performers Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise and actors Bryan Cranston and Cynthia Erivo, among others.
The forecast for the D.C. area is mostly sunny throughout the weekend, although people attending the Memorial Day Concert might want to pack an umbrella, as there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the evening.
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