Memorial Day 2027 is Monday, May 31. The National Cemetery ceremony and flag placement, Veterans Bridge flags, trash and drop-off closings and pool openings.
Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: the Chattanooga National Cemetery (Department of Veterans Affairs), the City of Chattanooga’s 2026 Memorial Day trash notice and Veterans Bridge flag program, CARTA and WDEF’s reports on the 2026 flag placement and ceremony.
Memorial Day 2027 is Monday, May 31. Chattanooga’s observance centers on Chattanooga National Cemetery, 1200 Bailey Ave., where volunteers place a flag on every grave the Saturday before and an annual ceremony is held on the morning of the holiday. Garbage pickup runs as normal; the city’s landfill and drop-off centers close. National Cemetery office: 423-855-6590. City services: 311, 423-643-6311.
What this means for you
- Volunteer: flag placement on the Saturday before Memorial Day; in 2026 it started at 7 a.m.
- Trash: collected as normal Monday. Drop-off centers, the landfill and the hazardous waste facility are closed.
- Buses: CARTA’s free Downtown Shuttle runs a holiday schedule.
- Pools: the outdoor season starts Memorial Day weekend; see our summer page.
Ceremonies and remembrance
The Memorial Day observance at Chattanooga National Cemetery. In 2026 the morning program opened with a musical prelude, the presentation of colors and the national anthem; Hamilton County Commissioner Jeff Eversole, U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., and Mayor Tim Kelly spoke, and Gold Star wives and families received yellow roses, WDEF reported. The 2027 program and start time had not been announced by Oct. 18, 2026; we will add them here.
Flags on 49,800 graves. The Chattanooga Area Veterans Council coordinates volunteers who place a flag on every grave at the cemetery before Memorial Day and retire them a week later. In 2026 placement was Saturday, May 23, at 7 a.m. and retirement Saturday, May 30, at 7 a.m. Volunteers parked on the right side of the cemetery road, and the council suggested bringing a screwdriver to set each flag about 12 inches in front of the marker and 3 inches deep, WDEF reported.
Visiting the cemetery. The grounds are open daily, sunrise to sunset. The office is open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and stays open on Memorial Day, though it closes other federal holidays. Artificial flowers and potted plants are allowed on graves from 10 days before to 10 days after Memorial Day. More than 12,800 Civil War dead were buried here by 1870, and Medal of Honor recipients Charles H. Coolidge and Desmond T. Doss are among those at rest, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Veterans Bridge flags. The bridge’s 30 flagpoles fly flags donated in honor of veterans. New flags are raised twice a year, on Memorial Day and Veterans Day; applications are due at least two weeks before the holiday. Apply for a Veterans Bridge flag.
What is open and closed
| Service | Memorial Day |
|---|---|
| Garbage and recycling pickup | Collected as normal; carts out by 7 a.m. |
| Birchwood Landfill and Wood Recycle Center | Closed |
| Refuse and recycle collection centers | Closed |
| Household hazardous waste facility | Closed |
| CARTA Downtown Shuttle | Holiday schedule |
| Chattanooga National Cemetery | Grounds and office open |
Trash and drop-off details are from the city’s 2026 notice; the city posted it a week before the holiday. See our trash and recycling guide.
Schools: Hamilton County Schools’ last day for students is Wednesday, May 19, 2027, so Memorial Day falls after the school year ends (schools guide).
The weekend
Memorial Day weekend opens the outdoor pool season. In 2026 the city’s Warner Park Pool, 1254 E. Third St., beside the Chattanooga Zoo, opened Saturday, May 23, and the city’s two indoor pools offered free entry from May 26 (city pools page). Pools, splash pads and camps are on our summer page; trails and riverfront parks are in walking and biking trails.
Related: Fourth of July fireworks, Father’s Day and things to do this month.
Frequently asked questions
When is Memorial Day 2027?
Monday, May 31, 2027.
Is there a Memorial Day ceremony in Chattanooga?
Yes. An annual Memorial Day observance is held on the morning of the holiday at Chattanooga National Cemetery, 1200 Bailey Ave. In 2026 it included the presentation of colors, speakers and yellow roses for Gold Star families. The 2027 program had not been announced by Oct. 18, 2026.
Is trash picked up on Memorial Day in Chattanooga?
Yes. Garbage and recycling are collected as normal on Memorial Day. The Birchwood Landfill, the Wood Recycle Center, the refuse and recycle collection centers and the household hazardous waste facility close for the day.
How can I help place flags at Chattanooga National Cemetery?
The Chattanooga Area Veterans Council organizes volunteers to place flags on the cemetery’s roughly 49,800 graves on the Saturday before Memorial Day and to retire them the Saturday after. In 2026 both started at 7 a.m.
When do Chattanooga pools open for summer?
Warner Park Pool, the city’s outdoor pool, opened Saturday, May 23, in 2026, the start of Memorial Day weekend. The 2027 date had not been posted by Oct. 18, 2026.
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