Given that Arlington is one of the largest military cemeteries in the United States, two of the services are quite obvious; Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The third, Easter Sunday, is different in two ways: its not a holiday traditionally associated with the military and the service takes place at dawn.
Attending the Easter Sunrise Service entails arriving at the cemetery at 5:30am (woof!) in the pre-dawn darkness to get a seat.
Jackets and blankets are a must – the marble benches aren’t known to radiate heat.
The non-denominational service is presided over by the Military District of Washington Command Chaplain and begins promptly at 6:15am.
Its a pretty wonderful experience – watching the sun peek over the horizon and illuminate a host of American flags while the Naval Choir belts out hymns.
There are readings, songs and brief speeches in tribute to guests of honor, all preformed with military precision.
And the biggest perk of attending the early morning service? Its over before 8am!
Know Before You Go:
– Arlington National Cemetery offers a free shuttle service from the Visitors Center to Memorial Amphitheater starting at 5:15am. You can walk to the Amphitheater in about 30 minutes, but its all uphill.
– You’ll be in a crowd of about 5,000 during the service, but afterwards is a great opportunity to wander the expansive cemetery. Be sure to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and President Kennedy’s grave.
– The DC Metro system doesn’t start running until 7am on weekends, so you’ll need to cab, walk, bike or drive to the cemetery.
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