Veterans Day 2026 at Arlington: National Ceremony Time, Tram and What to Bring

The 73rd National Veterans Day Observance is Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) in the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC), which says the event is free and open to the public. Anyone attending must ride the tram from the Welcome Center, and ANC asks people to be at the tram by 9:45 a.m. This story puts the day’s times, the security rules and the bag list in one place, with a printable timeline. The facts come from ANC’s notice of Oct. 8, 2026.

Veterans Day is a federal holiday on Wednesday, Nov. 11 in 2026, according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) holiday list. For the date itself see When is Veterans Day?, and for local marches see our Veterans Day parades by city.

Veterans Day timeline at Arlington National Cemetery

Time (ET)	What happens	Source
8 a.m.	Cemetery opens; free parking opens at the Welcome Center lot	ANC
About 8:30 a.m.	Tram starts running from the Welcome Center to the Memorial Amphitheater, until event capacity is reached	ANC
9:45 a.m.	ANC encourages attendees to reach the tram by this time	ANC
10:20 a.m.	Online webcast scheduled to start (runs to 1 p.m.)	Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS)
10:30 a.m.	Prelude in the amphitheater by the U.S. Coast Guard Band with the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants	ANC
11 a.m.	73rd National Veterans Day Observance	ANC
After the ceremony	Tram resumes and returns attendees to the Welcome Center until complete; no clock time given	ANC
5 p.m.	Cemetery and Welcome Center parking close	ANC

The printable day-of timeline below keeps the same times on one sheet.

How does the tram work for the Veterans Day observance?

ANC says attendees “must use the tram from the Welcome Center to the Memorial Amphitheater” and that “walking to and from the amphitheater is strictly prohibited.” The tram begins at approximately 8:30 a.m. and runs “until event capacity is reached,” so the 9:45 a.m. arrival time is advice to secure a ride, not a guarantee. Seating in the amphitheater is first come, first served. After the ceremony the tram returns attendees to the Welcome Center until everyone is back.

Free parking is available at the Welcome Center lot from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ANC’s visitor page says the cemetery is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What can you bring to the Arlington Veterans Day ceremony?

Everyone passes through a security checkpoint to enter the cemetery and amphitheater. ANC says the prohibited list may be updated, so check its notice before you go.

Bring	Leave at home
Clear plastic disposable water bottles	Umbrellas; large bags or backpacks
Signs no larger than 20” x 3” x 1/4”	Glass, metal or thermal containers, including hard water bottles and soda cans
Service or guide animals	Other animals; alcohol; coolers; picnic baskets
	Bicycles; drones; tripods; selfie sticks; signs over 20” x 3” x 1/4” and supports for signs
	Weapons of any kind, including firearms, ammunition, toy guns and mace or pepper spray
	Laser pointers and range finders; aerosol containers; lighters; screwdrivers or similar tools; air horns; brass knuckles; packages

The notice also bars “any other items determined to be a potential safety hazard.”

What is on the program, and who can see the wreath-laying?

ANC lists a prelude at 10:30 a.m. by the U.S. Coast Guard Band with the U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants, then the observance at 11 a.m. It also lists a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier conducted by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington. Attendance for the wreath-laying “will be limited this year to official participants,” and the notice gives no separate time for it. Speakers have not been announced in that notice.

How can you watch the observance online?

DVIDS, a Defense Department site, lists a webcast of the “73rd National Veterans Day Observance” scheduled for Nov. 11, 2026, from 10:20 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET.

Will the Changing of the Guard run on Veterans Day?

ANC’s Changing of the Guard page says the ceremony takes place “every hour on the hour from October 1 through March 31.” That page lists no Veterans Day change, and we did not find a statement on whether it runs during the observance, so check with ANC if it matters to your plans.

Other plans for Veterans Day 2026

Mark the day on the November 2026 printable calendar. For restaurant and retail offers, see Veterans Day free meals and discounts, and for the holiday overview see Veterans Day 2026 on Wednesday, Nov. 11.