WASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of holiday wreaths will be laid at Arlington Cemetery by volunteers this weekend as part of the annual Wreaths for America celebration that honors those who have served.
While the wreaths will be up all weekend, a larger scale wreath-laying happens Saturday at 8:30 a.m. The wreaths will be up for four weeks, with the last day of showing on Jan. 11.
For the volunteers of the veteran organization, the day of remembrance is meant to symbolize a lifelong service.
"We understand we have Veterans Day in the fall and Memorial Day in the spring, but our service members sacrifice their time and safety every single day of the year to preserve our freedoms," Wreaths for America's mission statement reads.
"In many homes, there is an empty seat for one who is serving or one who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country," the statement continues. "There is no better time to express our appreciation than during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season."
Looking to head to the event? You may want to plan ahead.
Cemetery gates will open at 8 a.m., with parking and access restrictions to Arlington National Cemetery in place from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Access to the Memorial Bridge will also be limited, with no entrance from the southbound George Washington Parkway as well as the northbound Route 110.
Riders can also expect lane closures along GW Parkway and Interstate 395.
The Metro Red line will also be single-tracking on Sunday, and transportation officials have urged riders taking the Blue line to get off at either the Rosslyn or Pentagon stations to avoid congestion.
Lastly, expect a normal routine security screening before heading in. A list of prohibited items can be found here.
