Alexandria’s annual D-Day Commemoration won’t be skipped this year even as City Hall and Market Square construction moved it out of its normal location.
The 16th Annual D-Day Commemoration will take place from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, May 31 at Carlyle Square (300 John Carlyle Street). Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, Council Member John Taylor Chapman, Council Member Jacinta Greene and representatives from the French and British embassies, the U.S. military and veterans organizations are expected to provide remarks.
D-Day — on June 6, 1944 — marked the start of Allied troops landing on the beaches of Normandy, France to begin the liberation of western Europe from Nazi Germany. About 156,000 Allied troops were part of the invasion, and more than 2,500 American troops were killed during D-Day.
The Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee, which organizes the event, wants it to be more than a remembrance ceremony.
“This is absolutely a commemoration of one of the most significant moments in world history, but it’s also a true community event,” said Stephen Hartka, a member of the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee. “There’s live music, swing dancing, reenactors, educational exhibits, family activities and community organizations. We really want people to understand this is something you can come to for an hour or stay all afternoon and enjoy with your family.”
There will be performances by the Alexandria Citizens Swing Band, United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and the United States Coast Guard Silent Drill Team, as well as swing dancing demonstrations by Gottaswing dancers, World War II reenactors, military displays and dozens of exhibitors and community booths.
Organizers say the Fife and Drum Corps show is a highlight.
“The Fife and Drum Corps performance is something people really should not miss,” Hartka said. “It’s incredibly impressive, visually and musically, and it adds a sense of pageantry and connection to history that makes the entire event special.”
The ceremony draws attendance from veterans groups, military units, diplomats, local elected officials and residents. Candace Harman, committee member and chair of Alexandria’s D-Day Commemoration, said outreach is especially important this year due to the location change from Market Square.
“Market Square naturally brings in a lot of foot traffic and visibility,” Harman said. “Carlyle Square is a different environment, so we’re really encouraging Alexandrians to come out intentionally and experience the event. Once people arrive, we think they’ll love the space and everything the event has to offer.”
According to Harman, the Carlyle Square location provides more room for performances and exhibits while being within walking distance of restaurants and other businesses. Parking is available at the Burke & Herbert garage (1775 Jamieson Avenue) and other nearby garages in the Carlyle neighborhood.
There will also be a D-Day lecture later that week. At 7 p.m. Thursday, June 4, the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum (201 S. Washington Street) will host “Operations Tiger and Neptune: D-Day at Sea,” with retired Rear Adm. Samuel J. Cox, the director of Naval History and Heritage Command and curator of the Navy. The lecture will focus on the naval aspect of the D-Day invasion. Tickets are $15 for the public and $12 for Historic Alexandria members and can be purchased in advance or in person. A dessert and wine reception will follow the lecture.
