Upcoming Events in the National Capital Area

Click a link to view an upcoming event

COAST GUARD RELATED EVENTS IN THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA

January 29, 2011: USS SERPENS DAY: Held at the USS Serpens Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, this is a commemoration of the largest single disaster suffered by the United States Coast Guard in World War II, the explosion of the ammunition ship USS Serpens (AK-97) off Lung Beach, Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands on the night of January 29, 1945. The 250 men who died included 193 U.S. Coast Guard sailors. Includes a wreath laying and memorial presentations. See http://wdccpoa.org/ for updates and further information.
April (each year dates as announced) CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL: USCG units are typically involved in events associated with the Festival, including the Cherry Blossom Parade and a performance by USCG and other drill teams at the Jefferson Memorial. See http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/ for specifics.
May (each year dates as announced) MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS: The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the Capitol grounds the evening before Memorial Day: USCG personnel and units are typically involved.

The annual National Memorial Day Observance to honor America’s fallen military service members takes place at Arlington National Cemetery. The U.S. Army Military District of Washington conducts an Armed Forces Full Honor Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, followed by an observance program hosted by the Department of Defense in Arlington’s Memorial Amphitheater, including a prelude by the U.S. Marine Band. Both the wreath-laying ceremony and the observance program are free and open to the general public. Space is limited to standing room only for the wreath-laying ceremony and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the amphitheater. Free parking is available for vehicles in the Arlington National Cemetery Visitor’s Center parking lot. See http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/News/ANC_News.html
for further information.

The annual Memorial Day parade takes place in Downtown Washington. See http://www.nationalmemorialdayparade.com/ for further details.
On/About May 20: JOINT SERVICES OPEN HOUSE: Held annually at Andrews Air Force Base in conjunction with Armed Forces Day, this multiple-day event includes flight demonstrations and static displays of military hardware from all the Armed Services. The flight demonstrations usually include (weather permitting) a performance by the USAF Thunderbirds or the Navy’s Blue Angels. USCG planes and helicopters typically are on static display. See http://www.jsoh.org/contact.html for further details.
August 4 COAST GUARD DAY BIRTHDAY
On/About August 4: NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA COAST GUARD DAY PICNIC: Held at the Telecommunication and Information Systems Command facility in Alexandria, VA. A nominal admission fee is charged for tickets, usually available at CGHQ.
September 24, 2011 “Run with the Warriors" Vinson Hall 5k Race, run with active duty & retired military, Wounded Warriors from the WTC – (some just back from the Wounded Warrior Olympics and training for the Army 10K. http://www.vinsonhall.org (see flyer)
October 7, 2011: Retiree Appreciation Day at Joint Base Ft Meyer - Henderson Hall (more info)
October (each year dates as announced) MARINE CORPS MARATHON: There are a substantial number of USCG participants in this 26.2-mile run held in Arlington, VA and the nation's capital. The race is open to all runners ages 14 and above, limited to 30, 000 participants. (Note: The slots are filled on a first-come, first served basis earlier in the year – the 2011 quota is now filled.) The course varies slightly from year to year. The race typically occurs a few weeks before the United States Marine Corps birthday on November 10. See the event’s web site at http://www.marinemarathon.com/ for specifics, and other races/events held throughout the year (10K’s, half-marathons, etc.)
November 4, 2011 THE 2011 COMMANDANT’S BALL 1700 at Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Uniform: DDBs for 04 & above; FDBs for 03 and below; Black Tie for Civilians. Tickets go on sale 07 September 2011. See flyer
November 11, 2011 CELEBRATE VETERANS DAY: Join the Commandant and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard for the annual Veterans Day Wreath-laying ceremony at the Coast Guard World War I Memorial in the Arlington National Cemetery. See flyer
On / About November 11: FLAGS ACROSS AMERICA: A variety of events take place to honor those who have served their country and passed on, including placement of flags on graves at Arlington National Cemetery. See http://wdccpoa.org/?page_id=143 for information on previous and planned activities.
December 4 2011 CAPITAL AREA RETIREE COUNCIL 5th Annual HOLIDAY PARTY Sunday, 4 December 2011, from 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM. A Holiday Party is sponsored by the Capital Area USCG Retiree Council annually in early December, typically at Vinson Hall in Northern Virginia. Single tickets cost in the of $30 per person. See Flyer
Various: USCG ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION RECEPTION: A variety of events take place under the auspices of the USCGA Alumni Association: see http://www.cgaalumni.org/s/1043/index.aspx?sid=1043&gid=1&pgid=13&cid=664 Typically a reception is held in Washington, DC at least once annually.
Various: COAST GUARD BAND CONCERTS: Concerts are held at the Coast Guard Academy and other venues. All Academy performances are free and open to the public; no ticket required. A schedule is available at http://www.uscg.mil/band/event_calendar.asp . Occasional concerts are held in the Washington, DC area: see the schedule.

FT MYER- HENDERSON HALL INFORMATION AND EVENTS LISTING

Take a look at the Ft Myer- Henderson Hall information and events listing at http://www.jbmhhmwr.com/

The Joint Base Ft Myer- Henderson Hall has many events for the Military Retiree, including special brunches, pool parties to celebrate labor day, Big Band Night, "Doggie Dip" in the Ft Myer pool, Tennis, Seafood Buffet, etc.

Also listed are events at Ft McNair and the Spates Community Club at Ft Myer, the Army Community Service (lots of classes, meetings for parents, toddlers, "Lunch & Learn"), the JBM-HH Bowling Center, the JBM-HH Library, the Ft Myer Fitness Center, the JBM-HH Recreation Center (Redskins Tickets, Travel Deals from the Armed Forces Vacation Club, tickets to movies, theme parks, classes in Tae Kwon Do). Also Child, Youth & School Services, Swimming, Water Aerobics.

OUT OF AREA EVENTS

On/About January 28: USCGC BLACKTHORN MEMORIAL: Held annually in the Tampa Bay, FL area. Specifics vary, but typically includes wreath-laying, overflights, and memorial presentations in honor of USCGC Blackthorn, which sank after a collision with the tanker Capricorn in 1980: 23 of her crew were lost. Further information should be available through Sector St. Petersburg at (727) 824-7574.
Summer 2011: SUNSET PARADES AT TRAINING CENTER CAPE MAY: Sunset Parades are colorful ceremonies at the TRACEN featuring the Recruit Band, Drill Team, marching troops, cannon fire, and a low level fly over by a CG helicopter. They take place at sunset on the Training Center's parade grounds, are open to the general public, and there is no admission charge. Children are welcome to attend, but should be accompanied by an adult. Sunset Parades are scheduled for 2011 on May 29, July 3, August 7, and September 4. If the parade is cancelled due to inclement weather a message will be left on the phone number (609) 898-6700. You can also call this number the day of the parade to get updated information.
See http://www.uscg.mil/hq/capemay/visitorinfo/visitorinformation.asp
September 23-25, 2011: U.S. COAST GUARD ACADEMY HOMECOMING AND REUNION: A variety of events are included, including the traditional Homecoming football game: see http://www.cgaalumni.org/s/1043/index.aspx?sid=1043&gid=1&pgid=316 for details about this year’s festivities.
November 11-13, 2011: PTERODACTL ROOST: Scheduled for the River View Plaza Hotel located in Downtown Mobile, this is the latest in a series of annual get-togethers held as part of the USCG Aviation Association’s mandate to “to promote social contact and camaraderie between all Coast Guard aviation personnel through periodic fraternal gatherings both national and regional in scope.” Planned events include travel to Pensacola to participate in the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation, with time to visit the National Museum of Naval Aviation and attend an airshow highlighted by the Blue Angels. Also planned are tours of ATC Mobile which will include updates on Coast Guard Aviation and time in the flight simulators. See http://www.aoptero.org/roost11mob/roost11index.php for more specifics.
December 7, 2011: PEARL HARBOR MEMORIAL CEREMONY: The Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony, marking the Anniversary of the 7 December 1941 Japanese Attack on Hawaii, is typically held on board the US Coast Guard Cutter TANEY annually in Baltimore, MD. The Taney is last fighting ship still afloat today to witness the 7 December 1941Japanese Attack on Hawaii. Visitors can join the board and staff of Historic Ships in Baltimore in honoring those who served during WWII. The ceremony is open to the public, and attendees should remember to dress for the weather. Light refreshments are provided by the USO, following the ceremony. See http://www.historicships.org/events_calendar.html for further details.

Download Plug-Ins

Download Plug-Ins: Some of the links on this page require a plug-in to view them. Links to the plug-ins are available below.

Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF)

Last Modified 1/26/2012