Overview
- The 37th National Memorial Day Concert airs live Sunday, May 24, 2026, on PBS with streaming on PBS.org and YouTube and distribution to service members through the American Forces Network.
- Joe Mantegna withdrew from co-hosting for what he called “unforeseen circumstances” around May 21, and Mary McCormack stepped in to co-host the show with Gary Sinise.
- The National Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Jack Everly, will perform two pieces by Gary Sinise’s late son Mac Sinise, whose work was chosen as a personal tribute after his 2024 death from chordoma.
- Rehearsals went ahead despite rainy holiday weather, with military musical units and veteran honorees preparing on the U.S. Capitol West Lawn on May 23 to preserve the live production.
- The program frames service across U.S. history—marking the nation’s 250th, the 85th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and the 25th anniversary of 9/11—featuring an onstage tribute to 102-year-old Pearl Harbor veteran Chuck Kohler and performances by actors and musicians such as Noah Wyle, Melissa Leo, Alan Jackson and Mickey Guyton.