Arlington Veterans Park Foundation Annual Memorial Day Service

Next date: Monday, May 25, 2026 | 06:30 PM to 07:30 PM

By Susan Schrock, Office of Communication

The Arlington Veterans Park Foundation hosts its annual Memorial Day Service in Veterans Park.

The ceremony, free and open to the public, will be held at the Memorial to the Fallen, a monument inside Veterans Park that was dedicated on Veterans Day in November 2023.

Veterans Day honors all who have served in our military, while Memorial Day honors those who have died while defending our country and its values.

The Memorial to the Fallen monument at Veterans Park honors the 100 young men from Arlington who died in our country’s wars of the 20th and 21st centuries. Among those names are Colonel Neel E. Kearby, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions as an Army Air Force fighter pilot in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, and Preston F. McKee, an early Arlington mayor who died during World War I.

The Memorial Day service will include:

• Presentation of the colors by The University of Texas at Arlington Maverick Battalion
• A wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial to the Fallen to honor the more than 100 Arlington residents lost in service
• An invitation for Gold Star individuals and families to place a flower in the wreath
• Patriotic musical performances by the Arlington Community Band and the Good Times Chorus

Before the Memorial Day ceremony begins, a dedication ceremony will be held at 6:15 p.m. for the newly named Clete McAlister Trail at Veterans Park. The trail is being renamed in recognition of McAlister's longstanding service, leadership and contributions to the Arlington community and the City's park system. McAlister, a member of the Arlington Veterans Park Foundation, has been a dedicated advocate for Arlington's parks, open spaces and recreational programs for many years. His service includes:

• Serving as coordinator for the development and programs and memorials to celebrate and honor community war veterans
• Longstanding involvement in the Arlington Parks, Recreation & Culture Department, including participation in volunteer trash cleanups, trail maintenance days and community events.
• Consistent efforts to promote the park as a community gathering placing, including support for trail improvements, accessibility enhancements and public awareness or park amenities.

When

Location

Veterans Park, 3600 W. Arkansas Ln, Arlington, TX, 76016, View Map