Food
This summer staple is the most popular food to grill on Memorial Day, with Americans consuming roughly 7 billion of them between this holiday and Labor Day.
What is a hotdog?
Memorial Day was originally established to honor the fallen soldiers of this devastating 19th-century American conflict.
What is the Civil War?
On Memorial Day, the American flag is uniquely flown at this position until exactly noon, before being raised to the very top of the staff until sunset.
What is half-staff/half-mast?
On the Sunday night before Memorial Day, the National Symphony Orchestra performs a massive, star-studded free concert broadcasted live from the West Lawn of this iconic D.C. government building.
What is the U.S. Capitol?
In this incredibly popular lawn game, players take turns throwing fabric bean bags at a raised wooden platform with a hole in the far end.
What is Cornhole?
Often served at Memorial Day cookouts, this cold side dish's name comes from the Dutch word koolsla, meaning "cabbage salad."
What is coleslaw?
Before it was legally renamed Memorial Day by federal law in 1967, the holiday went by this "floral" name because families would use spring blossoms to adorn soldiers' graves.
What is Decoration Day?
Established by Congress in the year 2000, Americans are asked to stop what they are doing at exactly 3:00 PM local time on Memorial Day to observe the National Moment of this action.
What is Silence/National Moment of Remembrance?
Dubbed "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," this legendary 500-mile open-wheel automobile race has been held over Memorial Day weekend since 1911.
What is the Indianapolis 500?
The ultimate tool of backyard defense, this handheld device uses a high-voltage electrical grid to instantly zap annoying pests mid-air.
What is an electric fly swatter?
Originally a dessert kit sold by the Campfire Marshmallow Company in the 1920s, this gooey, three-ingredient campfire classic is a favorite for holiday weekend nights.
What are s’mores?
In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson officially declared this New York town as the birthplace of Memorial Day, noting its early 1866 community-wide observance.
What is Waterloo?
Every year, the U.S. President traditionally travels to this massive Virginia military cemetery to deliver an address and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
What is Arlington National Cemetery?
NASCAR gets in on the holiday weekend too, hosting its longest race of the year—a grueling 600-mile test of endurance—in this North American city.
What is Charlotte Motor Speedway?
According to official backyard rules, if you drop a piece of food on the patio or grass, you have exactly this many seconds to pick it up before it is legally considered "ruined."
What is the 5-second rule?
Though ketchup gets plenty of love, this egg-and-oil-based emulsified spread is technically the best-selling condiment in the United States, serving as the necessary base for holiday potato salad.
What is mayonnaise?
This Union Army General and commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic officially ordered the first nationwide Decoration Day to be observed on May 30, 1868.
Who is General John A. Logan?
This historic 3-word phrase refers to the grueling annual tradition where U.S. soldiers place small American flags in front of all 260,000+ headstones at Arlington National Cemetery right before the holiday weekend.
What is “Flags-In”?
Released over Memorial Day weekend in 1977, this groundbreaking sci-fi movie directed by George Lucas shattered box office records and permanently changed how Hollywood releases summer blockbusters.
What is Star Wars?
This summer party classic involves two teams pulling on opposite ends of a rope, with the objective of dragging the other team across a center marker.
What is Tug-of-War?
While hot dogs dominate the holiday, this specific type of fresh, heavily seasoned pork sausage—highly associated with German heritage and Milwaukee culture—is the king of Midwestern Memorial Day cookouts.
What is a bratwurst?
Signed into law in 1968, this legislative act moved Memorial Day from its traditional fixed date of May 30th to the last Monday in May to create a convenient three-day weekend.
What is the Uniform Monday Holiday Act?
While it's great to celebrate the long weekend, etiquette experts agree that saying this specific 4-word greeting to someone can feel insensitive, as the holiday's purpose is deeply solemn.
What is “Happy Memorial Day”?
Dedicated on Memorial Day in 1922, this massive, marble temple-style monument in Washington, D.C., honors the 16th U.S. President.
What is the Lincoln Memorial?
Invented in the 1960s by a toy company executive who watched his kids throw a pie pan, this classic flying disc game actually traces its name back to a Connecticut baking company.
What is a Frisbee?