The National Park Service has begun its annual week to draw attention to its properties around the country in the hopes of encouraging tourism. The process is a bit different this year, as it comes at a time when budgets have been reduced by the Department of Government Efficiency. The Washington Examiner is taking a closer look at those impacts, along with how you can celebrate at a park near you in the coming days and weeks. In the sixth and final part of our series, National Park Week: The state of America’s outdoors, we take a look at events this week and beyond in Washington, D.C.
While the National Park Service is celebrating National Park Week, several other major events within Washington, D.C., are right around the corner.
The National Mall and Memorial Parks will host an event titled “Revolutionary Heroes” at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington on Thursday. The event will explore the roles that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Paul Jones had in the Revolutionary War. The event falls within National Park Week, which National Mall and Memorial Parks chief of communications Mike Litterst said is “a great time to visit” the park.
“Spring is a beautiful season to explore the monuments and memorials (the tulips at the Floral Library are in bloom!), and there’s always something meaningful to take in — whether it’s walking along the Reflecting Pool, catching a ranger talk, or just soaking in the history,” Litterst told the Washington Examiner. “It’s a great way to connect with the park and celebrate what makes these places so special.”
Beyond National Park Week, Washington is also anticipating hosting myriad parades to celebrate major holidays such as Independence Day and Memorial Day. The latter holiday will be celebrated with the National Memorial Day Parade, which will take place across Constitution Avenue on May 26 at 2 p.m.
Litterst confirmed to the Washington Examiner that while schedules have yet to be finalized for the National Mall and Memorial Parks’ Memorial Day celebrations, visitors can expect similar events from last year, which included a ceremony at the World War II Memorial as well as a Memorial Day concert. He also said this year’s Fourth of July celebrations will mirror the events held in 2024, which included the National Independence Day Parade, A Capitol Fourth concert, and a fireworks display on the National Mall.
“Memorial Day and Independence Day hold profound significance on the National Mall as they represent core values of the American identity — honor, sacrifice, freedom, and unity — represented at the monuments, memorials, and historic sites under the care of the National Park Service,” Litterst said.
DOGE CUTS NATIONAL PARK STAFF AS VISITATION RATE PEAKS
Washington could also see a parade on June 14 to coincide with the U.S. military’s 250th birthday, as well as President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said plans for this parade, which would stretch from Arlington, Virginia, and across the Potomac River into Washington, are in the early stages.
Ahead of all these major events, Litterst said the National Mall is “always” looking for people or groups interested in volunteer work and that those who wish to lend a helping hand can go online to learn more about what opportunities are available within the National Mall.
