Editor’s note: The National Emergency Training Center campus is closed during the government shutdown, including access to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. Readers are encouraged to follow the NFFF for the latest updates affecting the 2026 Memorial Weekend.
Every year, thousands of firefighters, honor guards, families and supporters gather in Emmitsburg, Maryland, for the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend — a solemn tribute to those firefighters who died in the line of duty.
Hosted by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), Memorial Weekend is the nation’s largest fire service memorial event. It honors fallen firefighters from previous years whose names will be added to the memorial at the National Emergency Training Center, on the same grounds as the U.S. Fire Administration and National Fire Academy.
For those in the fire service, the event is a reminder of the job’s risks and the legacy left by those who gave their lives. For families of the fallen, it offers national recognition of their sacrifice and a chance to connect with others who understand their loss.
In recent years, Memorial Weekend has grown in reach with red lights of remembrance, nationwide bell-ringing ceremonies, sounding sirens and virtual remembrances, allowing those who can’t travel to take part in honoring the fallen.
What happens at the NFFF Memorial Weekend?
Memorial Weekend includes a Candlelight Vigil on Saturday evening that features musical selections in tribute to the fallen being honored. Families of firefighters being honored create special luminaria used in this service. Returning survivors share the light from the Remembrance Candle, a symbol of the hope and enduring friendship shared by all who have lost a firefighter, with new survivors.
On Sunday, families of the fallen pass through the “Sea of Blue” to begin the memorial service. During the Sunday service, family members are escorted to the front to receive an American flag, badge and a rose in honor of their fallen firefighter.
When is the NFFF Memorial Weekend?
Memorial Weekend takes place in early May. The event was previously held every October, but organizers moved the dates to May beginning in 2023.
The 2026 National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend will be held May 2–3.
Who can attend the NFFF Memorial Weekend?
The Sunday service is open to the public, but it’s especially attended by:
- Families of fallen firefighters being honored that year
- Fire departments from across the U.S., often sending honor guards or representatives
- Fellow firefighters, both career and volunteer, who come to show solidarity
Many departments, large and small, make the journey annually, some for the first time, others returning year after year to pay respects.
Attendance, especially for departments participating in official roles, requires advance registration through the NFFF.
For more information, visit weekend.firehero.org.
This article, originally published in April 2025, has been updated.
