Destination Bedford

Poppy Peace Garden Display
2023-09-03 10:00 - 17:00, 2023-09-02 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | National D-Day Memorial, 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford, VA, United States
This September marks the official 78th anniversary of the end of World War II. To pay remembrance, the Memorial will place thousands of red poppies alongside the sculpture, Le Monument Aux Morts as a visual tribute to the men and women who gave their all to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today.
The poppies will be on display September 2-11, 2023.
To learn more about this program or to purchase a poppy, please visit https://www.dday.org/poppy-garden/.

D-Day Mini Camp
2023-08-01 08:30 - 13:00
During this summer’s one-day mini-camp, rising first, second, and third graders will travel back to June 1944 to explore the most important events of the month, from the capture of Rome to D-Day to the Battle of Saipan! The National D-Day Memorial’s team of educators will lead a diverse array of fun, educational activities at sites across the Memorial, including the Education Quonset Hut and the Victory Garden.
Camp will meet from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. Snacks included.
$30 per day. Additional siblings $25. Member discount.
Click here to register.

Stars & Stripes Forever Patriotic Concert
2023-05-26 19:00 - 21:00
Kick off Memorial Day weekend at the National D-Day Memorial with the Jefferson Choral Society performing beloved patriotic tunes. The Let’s Dance Band opens with big band sounds of the 1940s. Tickets are available online or at the gate. Click here to purchase tickets. Bring a chair.

Family Day at the D-Day Memorial
2023-04-22 10:00 - 15:00
Join the National D-Day Memorial for the return of this joyous family-friendly event exploring life at home and on the front lines during World War II. Family Day will feature artifact displays, demonstrations, children’s activities, living historians, musical performances, and special tours. Food will be available for purchase.
Special guests include the Liberty University Jazz Ensemble, the VMI Commanders Jazz Band, and Dale’s Diner Express, with more to be announced!
Family Day is generously sponsored by WoodmenLife.
Tickets are available under the Event Tickets tab at store.dday.org. Adults $10. Children, veterans and active-duty FREE.
Each ticket includes admission to the Memorial for duration of the event, a guided tour, and access to activities and displays.
Tickets are non-refundable. In the event of cancellation, tickets funds will be processed as anonymous donations in support of the National D-Day Memorial.

Homeschool Day
2023-03-31 10:00 - 15:00
Come to the National D-Day Memorial for Homeschool Day!
At Homeschool Day, students and their families will participate in special tours, programs, and demonstrations from the Memorial and community partners to learn more about D-Day and what it took to claim victory.
Each ticket includes admission to the Memorial for duration of the event, an artifact-based educational program and guided tour, and access to activities and displays.
Admission is $6 for adults and children 6 and older (free for children under 6). Space is limited and guided tour times will sell out. Self-guided tours also available. Ticket sales end on Friday, March 24 at 11:59 PM. If you have not purchased your tickets by this deadline, you may use a general admission ticket to gain entry to the Memorial on March 31. If space is still available, those with general admission tickets may register for the Homeschool Day artifact-based program and guided tour on site on March 31. General admission tickets can be purchased online or at the Memorial.
In the event of cancellation, no refunds will be given. Instead, ticket funds will be processed as anonymous donations in support of the National D-Day Memorial.

They Won't Die Twice American Premiere
2022-10-09 14:00 - 16:00, 2022-10-08 14:00 - 16:00
The National D-Day Memorial presents the American premiere of They Won’t Die Twice, a documentary telling the harrowing stories of three heroes of D-Day who would make the ultimate sacrifice during the summer of 1944.
Produced by Florent Plana and Jenny Post, They Won’t Die Twice follows the lives of three Americans – Sergeant Walter Geldon, Captain Ned Elder, and Private First Class Leo Balon – from before the war to landing on Omaha Beach and introduces the families they would leave behind. The three featured soldiers are emblematic of the thousands who lost their lives in the quest to liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny.
As we approach the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings at Normandy, the catalyst for freedom in western Europe during WWII, sadly the veterans who participated and French civilians who witnessed this pivotal moment in world history will soon be gone.
Through interviews with loved ones and historians chronicling the stories of these three brave men, the legacies of all will endure.

For tickets and more information, click here.

Poppy Peace Garden Display
2022-09-10 10:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-09 10:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-08 10:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-07 10:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-06 10:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-05 10:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-04 10:00 - 17:00, 2022-09-03 10:00 - 17:00 and 1 more date
This September marks the official 77th anniversary of the end of World War II. To pay remembrance, the Memorial will place thousands of red poppies alongside the sculpture, Le Monument Aux Morts as a visual tribute to the men and women who gave their all to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today.
The poppies will be on display September 2-11, 2022.
To learn more about this program or to purchase a poppy, please visit https://www.dday.org/poppy-garden/.

No Excuse Night @ National D-Day Memorial
2022-08-13 17:00
Never been to the Memorial? Haven’t been in a while?
There’s no excuse not to visit with FREE ADMISSION during this extended hours community event.
Docents will be stationed throughout the Memorial to share information with guests.
No tickets or registration required.
Come enjoy this national treasure celebrating its 20th year!

World War II in Miniature
2022-06-18 10:00 - 15:00
The Roanoke Valley chapter of the International Plastic Modelers Society will present “World War II in Miniature,” a one-of-a-kind display featuring miniature World War II model planes, tanks, ships, jeeps, historic figures, and more.
Vote for your favorite model for $1, with proceeds to benefit the Memorial. The winning model receives the People’s Choice Award!
Younger visitors can create miniature WWII vehicles using LEGO bricks.
Regular admission fees apply.

78th Anniversary of D-Day Commemoration
2022-06-06 10:00 - 12:00
Join the National D-Day Memorial as they commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Allied landings at Normandy.
Ceremony features a keynote address by Dr. John C. McManus, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of U.S. Military History at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T).
Free admission until noon. Gates open at 10AM. Bring a chair. No coolers or pets (service animals welcome).

Memorial Day 2022 Commemoration
2022-05-30 10:00 - 12:00
To commemorate Memorial Day, speaker Dave Carey, a retired Navy captain, Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war, will inspire audience members with his story. Carey’s aircraft was destroyed while flying a combat mission over North Vietnam. He spent the following five and a half years as a POW incarcerated in Vietnamese prisons. His experiences taught him timeless lessons that are applicable to everyone. His book, The Ways We Choose, Lessons for Life from a POW’s Experience, will be available and a book-signing will be held after the ceremony. The Memorial Day program begins at 11 a.m. and admission fees are waived until 12 noon. Please bring a chair. No coolers or pets, except service animals.

Patriotic Concert
2022-05-28 19:00 - 21:00
Kick off your Memorial Day weekend with the Jefferson Choral Society performing beloved patriotic tunes. The Let’s Dance Band opens with big band sounds of the 1940s.
Advance Tickets
Adult – $12 Student/Veteran/Memorial Member- $8
Tickets At the Gate
Adult – $14 Student/Veteran/Memorial Member – $10
Under 6 and WWII Vets – FREE
Tickets are non-refundable.
If concert is canceled, purchase amount will be processed as a donation.
Bring your own chair.
No food.
No pets (service animals welcome).

Click here for advance tickets, or pick them up at the Bedford Area Welcome Center!

Alex Kershaw at the National D-Day Memorial
2022-05-14 11:00 - 13:00
The National D-Day Memorial welcomes author and historian Alex Kershaw back to Bedford to share his latest work, the instant New York Times bestseller of Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II.
The national bestselling author of The Bedford Boys, The First Wave, and The Liberator (now the basis for a Netflix miniseries) tells the untold story of four of the most decorated soldiers of World War II—all Medal of Honor recipients—from the beaches of French Morocco to Hitler’s own mountaintop fortress.
For more information and online tickets, click here.
Regular admission fees apply.
Books available for purchase.

Flames of Memory
2021-12-05 17:00 - 21:00, 2021-12-04 17:00 - 21:00, 2021-12-03 17:00 - 21:00
As twilight deepens and obscured the Blue Ridge, the Memorial will honor the 4,415 men killed on D-Day. Arranged throughout the grounds, thousands of luminarias will shine in recognition of Overlord’s fallen and in tribute to the ultimate sacrifice each made to relight the lamp of freedom.

Admission is free. Donations are welcome.

Purchase a luminaria for 2021 here.

Home School Day at the D-Day Memorial
2021-10-15 10:00 - 15:00
At Homeschool Day, not only will students have the opportunity to meet veterans and interact with living historians, but hands-on activities will illustrate various aspects of land, air and sea components of the D-Day invasion. A guided tour is also included with admission!
Admission is $5 with advance registration and pre-payment preferred by Friday, October 8, 2021. Space is limited and tour times will sell out. No refunds will be given. Register at: https://www.dday.org/homeschool-day/
Contact the Memorial’s Education Department at (540) 586-3329 ext. 111 or education@dday.org for more information.

Kyle Petty Charity Ride Revival
2021-09-21 10:00 - 17:00
The National D-Day Memorial is stop one on the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Revival.

The Memorial’s public event includes a meet and greet with celebrity riders including:
Kyle Petty – Former NASCAR driver, NBC Sports racing analyst, and host of “Dinner Drive with Kyle Petty”
Richard Petty (“The King”) – 7-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Harry Gant – Legendary former NASCAR driver
David Ragan – Recently retired NASCAR driver
Rick Allen – NBC Sports broadcaster
Tickets are required.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

POW/MIA Recognition Day
2021-09-17 10:00 - 17:00
This event will be at the National D-Day Memorial. Click here for more information.

Wreath Laying for 9/11 Anniversary
2021-09-11 11:00 - 11:30
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, members of the Bedford Fire Department will place a wreath at the Overlord Arch at 11 a.m. The public is encouraged to attend, regular admission fees will apply. Click here to purchase tickets online.
