MANDAN – The 2026 Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at noon, Monday, May 25, at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, 6.5 miles south of Mandan on N.D. Highway 1806.

This annual event, hosted by the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery and North Dakota National Guard, honors all deceased American servicemen and women and is free to the public. The first observance was held in 1993.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early because of expected large crowds and the motorcycle honor run. Since seating is limited, bringing lawn chairs is recommended.

Those who are only dropping off flowers for Memorial Day grave decorations we encourage to be finished and exited facility by 9:30 a.m.

Handicap-marked vehicles are encouraged to arrive before 10:30 a.m. Drivers should ensure handicap credentials and decals are readily visible to parking attendants. Shuttle vehicles will be available to transport attendees from parking areas to the ceremony area. Attendees are encouraged not to drive large vehicles, such as recreational vehicles, campers or tow trailers due to constrained parking.

The keynote speaker is U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Mitch Johnson, the N.D. National Guard adjutant general.

Gov. Kelly Armstrong, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven and U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer also are scheduled to render remarks.

The emcee is retired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Shelly Sizer. Sizer retired from the N.D. Army National Guard as the command chief warrant officer and served in the military for 40 years. She also was appointed as the civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army in 2021 and held that position until the program ended in 2025.

The N.D. Army National Guard’s Fargo-based 188th Army Band’s “Cover Down” Brass Quintet will perform “How Great Thou Art” as well as pre-ceremony music. Also participating in the ceremony are local veteran and civic organizations.

The national anthem will be performed by U.S. Army Sgt. Ben Helfrich and U.S. Army Sgt. Natalie Helfrich, both with the 188th Army Band, Taps will be performed by Colton Friesz, and the Dakota Leathernecks will render a rifle-salute volley.

The N.D. National Guard Military Funeral Honors Team will execute a 21-gun cannon salute with a World War I-era French 75-millimeter cannon. Father Dustin Johns of Ascension Catholic Church will provide the opening and closing prayers.

In support of this ceremony, the Viet Nam Vets / Legacy Vets Motorcycle Club will organize a motorcycle Honor Run at “The Shop” at 131 Airport Road in Bismarck. Participants will leave Bismarck at 11 a.m., head west on Main Street, and cross the Liberty Memorial Bridge to Mandan’s Memorial Highway. After turning west on Mandan’s Third Street Southeast, the motorcyclists will head south on N.D. Highway 1806 until they reach the N.D. Veterans Cemetery. All motorcyclists and passengers are invited to participate, and no pre-coordination is required. Please arrive on your motorcycle between 10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

Bus transportation will be available for the public to and from the ceremony at Mandan’s Family Fare Supermarket parking lot, 500 Burlington St. SE. A 30-passenger bus donated by Nightlife Limousine arrive at 9:15 a.m. and depart at 10:15 a.m.

In honor of Memorial Day, Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park will host a Military Appreciation Day by offering free admission and tours to military members, veterans and their families. This state park is located adjacent to the veterans cemetery.

The ceremony will be live streamed at ndguard.nd.gov through the North Dakota National Guard YouTube page. The event also can be found on Facebook.

The N.D. Veterans Cemetery was established by an act of the 1989 North Dakota Legislative Assembly. The cemetery was opened in July 1992 and is operated by the Office of the N.D. adjutant general.