Annual Eisenhower Birthday Commemoration

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Society marks the birthday of Five-Star General and 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower with its annual Eisenhower Birthday Commemoration on Saturday, October 17, 2026, in Gettysburg, PA.

The commemoration begins at noon at the Eisenhower Statue, 300 Carlisle Street at Gettysburg College. The free public ceremony features a wreath laying and primary-source readings highlighting Eisenhower’s leadership and legacy. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Society also presents its Eisenhower Memorial Scholarships and ROTC Leadership Award during the ceremony.

At 1 p.m., the program continues with a buffet luncheon at the historic Dobbin House Restaurant, 89 Steinwehr Avenue in Gettysburg. Retired Park Ranger John Heiser presents “Eisenhower and the Men of D-Day,” exploring Eisenhower’s role as commander of the D-Day landings and the experiences of the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy. Heiser also displays examples of the equipment those servicemen carried during the landings.

The noon wreath-laying ceremony is free and open to the public. The Dobbin House luncheon requires an advance-purchase ticket. The program offers Adams County residents and Gettysburg visitors an opportunity to explore Eisenhower’s military and presidential legacy and his role in pivotal events of World War II.