24th Annual Remembrance Day Illumination

The 24th Annual Remembrance Day Illumination takes place Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Gettysburg National Cemetery, 97 Taneytown Road in Gettysburg. Free and open to the public, the annual evening commemoration marks the 1863 dedication of the national cemetery and honors the Union soldiers buried on its historic grounds. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary in 2026, the event also offers a meaningful connection to the people, sacrifice and history that helped shape the country.

A luminary candle is placed at each of the 3,512 Civil War Union soldiers’ graves throughout Gettysburg National Cemetery. The names of the fallen soldiers are read during the evening, adding a personal element to the commemoration and reinforcing the cemetery’s connection to Gettysburg’s Civil War history.

Visitors may enter the cemetery from either the Baltimore Street entrance or the Taneytown Road entrance. The Remembrance Day Illumination takes place outdoors and depends on favorable weather conditions. The event runs from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. and remains free and open to the public.