Elgin to honor America’s 250th anniversary at Bluff City Memorial Day program

Posted May 20, 2026 12:00 pm

Submitted by Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association

Elgin’s Bluff City Cemetery Memorial Day program on May 25 will be paying tribute to the 250th anniversary of the United States and honor our first veterans. The events are hosted by the Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association in cooperation with the city of Elgin.

The morning begins at 8:45 a.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery, 1001 Villa St. There will be a service along with a combined color guard, rifle salute, and the playing of taps.

At 9:15 a.m., there will be a service to honor those buried at Lakewood Memorial Park, 30W730 Route 20. It will be held at the cemetery’s Garden of Honor and include a combined color guard. The observance will conclude with a rifle salute and the playing of taps.

Organized by the Elgin Navy Club and the Elgin Marine Corps League, the 9:45 a.m. program at Veterans Memorial Park, 274 N. Grove Ave., will feature the Elgin Master Chorale. The ceremony is especially designed to pay tribute to veterans interred at sea. Following a presentation by Elgin Navy Club members, the service will conclude with the strewing of flowers into the Fox River, rifle salute, and the playing of taps.

At Bluff City Cemetery, the 11 a.m. program will pay tribute to the 250th anniversary of the United States. The keynote speaker will be Christine Harmon, Regent of Elias Kent Kane Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.

This program also will include the Elgin Master Chorale and the Northwest Bible Baptist Church band. Students with the Fox Valley Young Marines will continue the tradition of reading Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and General John Logan’s Orders which established Memorial Day.

The most solemn moment of the morning will be the laying of organizational wreaths at the Grand Army of the Republic memorial – an observance akin to the laying of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington, D.C. Activities will include a roll call of deceased veterans, a rifle salute, and the playing of taps.

Because of limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair. A free shuttle bus will pick up riders at the main gate and east gate before and after the service for transportation to and from the ceremony area.

At Bluff City Cemetery at 945 Bluff City Blvd., more than 600 flags honoring local veterans line the streets as part of the award-winning “Avenue of Flags.” There are also more than 3,000 smaller flags flying over veterans’ graves placed by local volunteers as part of the “Adopt a Cemetery” program.

Note: The 11 a.m. program will also be broadcast live on WRMN Radio, 1410 AM.

In case of inclement weather, an announcement will be made no later than 8:30 a.m. May 25 that the Elgin Veterans Memorial Park and Bluff City Cemetery programs will be held at their normal times at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. This possible change does not affect the Lakewood Memorial Park and Mount Hope programs.

For information, visit elginmemorialday.org/events.