September 11 Memorial Events Around the Washington, DC Region

On the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Washington, DC area will hold several events to honor the victims of that tragic day and bring together people of different ages, backgrounds and faiths. Here is a schedule of the events in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

Washington National Cathedral Commemoration for the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
Sept. 9-11, 2011. To mark the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Washington National Cathedral will call on Americans to honor the memories of those who were lost, heal the wounds caused by terrorism and war, and gain new strength to move forward as a nation. Three days of events will culminate on September 11, 2011, when the Cathedral will toll its 12-ton funeral bell at the moments when airplanes struck the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center, hit the Pentagon, and crashed in Pennsylvania. The event will feature President Barack Obama as the keynote speaker and performances by renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, country superstar Alan Jackson, and R&B legend Patti LaBelle. UPDATE: Due to the crane accident on the Cathedral grounds on September 7, 2011, the events have been moved to various locations in the area. See the Full Schedule.

September 11: Remembrance and Reflection
Sept. 3–11, 2011. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Hall of Musical Instruments, Third Floor, West Wing. The exhibit will provide visitors with a close-up view of more than 50 objects from the three sites—New York, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa.—as well as recent acquisitions from the Transportation Security Administration related to how American lives have changed since then.

National Day of Service
Sept. 10-11, 2011. Greater DC Cares recruits thousands of volunteers to serve at more than 50 nonprofit organizations as a part of the United We Serve. Participants will clean parks, revitalize playgrounds, sort food for the hungry, and much more!

Pentagon Memorial
The memorial commemorates the 184 lives lost in the Pentagon and on American Airlines Flight 77 during the terrorist attacks. The Pentagon Memorial is free and open to the public 24 hours a day. Special services will be held for the families of the victims of 9/11 at the Memorial on September 11, 2011. The Memorial will be closed to the public until 6 p.m.

Newseum
FREE Admission on Sept. 10 and 11, 2011. The museum will unveil a new section of its popular FBI exhibit that will focus on the FBI's role in fighting terrorism before and after Sept. 11, 2001, from the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993 through the 9/11 investigation and the case of shoe bomber Richard Reid. Sixty new artifacts will be displayed, including engine parts and landing gear from the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center, and the shoes Reid rigged with explosives in a failed terrorist attempt to blow up an airplane.

9/11 Unity Walk
Sept. 11, 2011. The Unity Walk is an interfaith, cross cultural commemoration of the September 11 attacks. This year's Walk will take place on Embassy Row in Washington DC. The Unity Walk offers participants the opportunity to learn about different faiths and cultures at open houses for churches, synagogues, temples, gurdwaras, and mosques; hear from renowned speakers including Rev. Mpho Tutu and Arun Gandhi; enjoy diverse cuisines; and participate in a service project hosted by Unity Walk's Interfaith Youth Action Group. The event is free and open to all.

5th Annual Police, Fire & Sheriff 9/11 Memorial 5K Run
September 10, 2011, 6 p.m. DoubleTree Hotel, 300 Army Navy Drive, Crystal City, VA. A commemorative run to honor victims of September 11. Proceeds from the race will be donated to public safety and military support organizations, including the Fisher House Foundation, the Wounded Warriors Project, and the Survivors’ Fund. Fee: $25.00.

Freedom Walk - Operation Homefront
September 11, 2011, 7:50 a.m. Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. The walk will honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and pay tribute to our military service members and their families who have sacrificed so much in the war on terrorism. The walk through the cemetery will include a moment of silence followed by TAPS at 9:37 a.m. and a brief ceremony to pay our respects.

Moment of Silence and Flags Across Arlington
September 11, 2011. Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. A moment of silence will be held at 9:37 a.m. to remember the 184 victims of this tragic event. Arlington County will hang U.S. flags from overpasses and buildings in a display of "Flags Across Arlington." The cemetery is open and the public is welcome to visit.

9/11 Arts Project
Ongoing. Kickoff September 8-11, 2011. The citywide initiative will engage creative, social, interfaith and activist communities through the visual and performing arts to explore healing and recovery in response to the events of September 11th. Events will be held at several venues in Washington DC.

Air Force Memorial Commemoration
September 10, 2011, 7:30 p.m. Honor the 184 lives lost during the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Pentagon. The event is free and open to the public and will include the U.S. Air Force Band Brass Quintet Ensemble, Joint Armed Forces Color Guard, Arlington County Combined Honor Guard, Wakefield High School's a capella choir "The Madrigals," Macedonia Baptist Church Music Ministry, and a commemoration by the Pentagon Memorial Fund's Jim Laychak.

A Concert of Remembrance and Hope for the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
September 11, 2011, 4 p.m. National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Avenue, NW Washington DC. In recognition of those lost, as well as the enduring spirit and sacrifice of our community during and after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Choralis, a non-profit choral organization, has commissioned a new work from Washington area composer Gary Davison. This concert premieres Davison’s Shadow Tides and also includes Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, the Dona Nobis Pacem from Bach’s Mass in B Minor, and “Taps,” played by nationally renowned bugler Woodrow English.

Buddhafest - Weekend of Peace, Compassion and Forgiveness
September 10-11, 2011. Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Washington DC. Renowned spiritual teachers from the DC area and around the country will commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9.11 with a weekend of events inspired by an address given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Presented by BuddhaFest, DC’s Buddhist film festival, the program’s goal is to honor those who perished on 9.11 and all who have been killed or wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by creating a mindful environment where people can gather to become more fully aware and resilient.

HOPE: Humanity and Heroism - Madame Tussauds
Sept. 12-Dec. 31, 2011. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, 1025 F Street, NW Washington DC. The Washington DC attraction will install a three-dimensional wax tribute based on the iconic photograph featuring three firefighters raising the American flag out of the rubble of the World Trade Center on September 11th. The exhibit will be in DC on loan from Madame Tussauds NY through the end of the year. Admission will be free for firefighters, police and EMS workers (must present valid ID) and accompanying family members will receive a $5.00 discount. The wax figure will be displayed at FedExField during Sunday’s game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants.

Washington Nationals 9/11 Remembrance Day
September 11, 2011. Nationals Park, Washington DC. Before the start of their game against the Houston Astros, the Nationals will host a special on-field ceremony to pay tribute to the victims, their families, and the countless rescue, aid, military and law enforcement workers who responded following the attacks on September 11, 2001. A portion of the proceeds from tickets will be donated to the Pentagon Memorial Fund.

Visiting New York to pay tribute to September 11? New York City will have an extensive lineup of memorial events to mark the 10 year anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. See the schedule of events in New York City