Salute their sacrifices and celebrate summer at these Memorial Day parades and events in Pennsylvania.

The first Memorial Day was celebrated in 1868 to honor soldiers who died in the Civil War. Given that many Pennsylvania towns are older than this—and had their own residents who died in the Civil War—dozens of commonwealth communities have long traditions of hosting Memorial Day parades and celebrations.

We’ve rounded up 15 Memorial Day parades and events taking place in Pennsylvania this year, but we encourage you to check your own community’s calendar to see if a local event is planned—you might be surprised by how many tiny towns go big for Memorial Day.

Read on to learn about the Pennsylvania parades and events that will allow you to reflect on military service in the U.S., clap along to marching bands, and celebrate the unofficial start of summer.

Lawrenceville Memorial Day Parade – Pittsburgh

Date: Monday, May 26, 2025

The Lawrenceville Memorial Day Parade in the Lawrenceville neighborhood is a tradition that’s more than 100 years old. On the morning of Memorial Day, the parade of dozens of community groups will roll, marching from 36th Street down Butler Street toward Allegheny Cemetery, where thousands of veterans are buried. A memorial service will then take place at the cemetery’s Soldier’s Memorial, followed by family-friendly festivities. 

Memorial Day Ceremony and Celebration at Soldiers & Sailors – Pittsburgh 

Date: Monday, May 26, 2025

Spend your Memorial Day holiday at the country’s biggest memorial exclusively dedicated to military veterans, Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood. Soldiers & Sailors’ Memorial Day Ceremony and Celebration is a free outdoor event with a festival atmosphere—there will be food, drinks, contests, live entertainment, and a memorial service for veterans. Plus, on the day of the celebration, you can tour the museum about military history—which is usually $15 for adults—for free!

Civil War Memorial Day Commemoration – Gettysburg 

Date: Sunday, May 25, 2025

This Gettysburg Memorial Day service is a special celebration that harkens back to the origins of Memorial Day. The first observance of Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day, and it was meant to honor soldiers who died in the Civil War. Gettysburg’s Civil War Memorial Day Commemoration will feature costumed reenactors at the Pennsylvania Monument as they remember the Civil War with era-appropriate readings, music, and more.

Gettysburg Memorial Day Parade – Gettysburg

Date: Monday, May 26, 2025

Gettysburg’s Memorial Day Parade is one of the only Memorial Day parades in Pennsylvania where you can see Civil War reenactors march! Reenactors may be dressed as Civil War soldiers and playing instruments or holding ceremonial swords, rifles, or historic flags. Some may also be wearing the era’s civilian garb—long dresses and petticoats or suits and top hats. Many of the marchers are veterans or descendants of Civil War soldiers. You can watch a stream of the 2024 parade on the town website to get a feel for Gettysburg’s unique parade!

Memorial Day Ceremony at Washington Crossing Historic Park – New Hope 

Date: Sunday, May 25, 2025

The Memorial Day Ceremony at Washington Crossing Historic Park—where General George Washington famously crossed the Delaware River—remembers the soldiers of the Revolutionary War. The event will feature veterans of today, Revolutionary War reenactors, fife and drum music, and a colonial color guard. In addition, flags will be placed on the graves of American soldiers who died from exposure or disease during the Continental Army’s harsh winter encampment in 1776.

Kennett Square Memorial Day Parade – Kennett Square

Date: Monday, May 26, 2025

The Kennett Square Memorial Day Parade, the largest in Chester County, has been a favorite town event since 1948—not long after the end of World War II. In 2025, thousands will take to the streets of downtown Kennett Square to cheer as veterans, community groups, and performers pass.

Doylestown Memorial Day Parade – Doylestown

Date: Monday, May 26, 2025

The Doylestown Memorial Day Parade is one of the oldest Memorial Day parades in the country, with the first celebration occurring in 1868. The celebration begins with a flag-raising ceremony before the parade rolls, starting at Central Bucks West High School and ending at Doylestown Cemetery. The community will then observe a 30-minute Memorial Day service, which will include veterans placing wreaths on the graves of fellow service members.

South Hills Memorial Day Parade – South Hills

Date: Monday, May 26, 2025

The South Hills Memorial Day Parade has been a tradition in Pittsburgh’s South Hills for more than 90 years. It’s also the largest Memorial Day parade in Western Pennsylvania. This year, Rocky Bleier, former Pittsburgh Steelers running back and Purple Heart recipient, will serve as the parade’s marshal. The parade will begin in Brookline, roll through Dormont, and end at the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery.

Camp Hill Memorial Day Parade – Camp Hill

Date: Monday, May 26, 2025

Cumberland County’s Camp Hill Memorial Day Parade will celebrate its 106th anniversary in 2025. The parade is just one part of the celebration: The borough will also host a ceremony in the Camp Hill Cemetery, followed by festivities (previous activities have included a bounce house) in nearby Willow Park.

Eshcol Memorial Day Parade – Millerstown and Newport 

Date: Saturday, May 24, 2025

Perry County’s Eshcol Memorial Day Parade is a small-town tradition that’s been going strong for more than a century. This year marks the 138th incarnation of the Eshcol Memorial Day Parade. It will begin at Eshcol Memorial Cemetery in Millerstown and end in Newport. Parade-goers are also invited to decorate veterans’ graves.

Laurel Hill Cemetery – Philadelphia

Date: Sunday, May 25, 2025

The first Memorial Day in Philadelphia was observed at Laurel Hill Cemetery in 1868. You can help continue the tradition by attending Laurel Hill Cemetery’s contemporary Memorial Day observance. This year, previously unmarked veteran graves of Civil War soldiers will receive new gravestones during the Memorial Day service. The ceremony will also include speeches, honor guard performances, and music. Refreshments will be served at the end of the event.

The National Constitution Center – Philadelphia

Date: Saturday, May 24 – Monday, May 26, 2025

The National Constitution Center is hosting a number of events to mark Memorial Day Weekend. You can participate in programming to learn about the history of the holiday as well as famous monuments and memorials dedicated to soldiers, “uncovering the complexities of how a nation remembers,” according to the center. There will also be arts and crafts activities for kids and adults, and the lawn will have old-timey games (hoop and stick, anyone?) for families to play. Note that you’ll need tickets to the center to participate in the fun!

The Museum of the American Revolution – Philadelphia

Date: Saturday, May 24 – Monday, May 26, 2025

Memorial Day Weekend at the Museum of the American Revolution offers a full slate of activities that honor the soldiers who died during the Revolutionary War while bringing their stories to life. For example, you can learn about women’s work during the war, watch a one-man play about a teen Continental army soldier, and go on a walking tour of the historic neighborhood surrounding the museum, in addition to many other programs! Standard ticket fees apply, though veterans, military, and family members of active duty military receive free admission during Memorial Day Weekend. 

Hawley Borough Memorial Day Parade – Hawley

Date: Sunday, May 25, 2025

Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Hawley will celebrate Memorial Day with a parade and ceremony. The parade travels from Riverside Park to Bingham Park and ends with a memorial ceremony led by volunteers with American Legion Post 311.

Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home Memorial Day Ceremony – Erie

Date: Sunday, May 25, 2025

Erie’s Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home traditionally hosts a Memorial Day celebration, as it has since 1887. After all, the long-term care facility is home to Pennsylvania veterans and their spouses. It’s also the only veterans’ home to maintain a cemetery, the final resting place for more than 1,300 veterans who served as far back as the Civil War. The cemetery is the site of an annual Memorial Day ceremony held on the Sunday before the holiday.