When is Memorial Day weekend 2024? Here's when and why we get a 3-day weekend in May

It may feel like April has just started, but we are only a few days away from May which means Memorial Day is just around the corner.

People may already be planning what they are going to do for their three day weekend toward the end of May. For many it will be a time to kick off summer with barbecues, opening up the swimming pool and enjoying the weather, but it is also a time to honor the men and women who died in service of the United States Armed Forces.

Here's when Memorial Day falls this year and just why it is celebrated.

When is Memorial Day weekend 2024?

Memorial Day is always the last Monday in May.

For 2024, Memorial Day weekend is Saturday, May 25 to Monday, May 27. With that Monday being the official holiday.

Why is Memorial Day observed?

The American holiday hasn't always gone by Memorial Day, but has always been a holiday and an opportunity to honor military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. military. The day is usually marked by parades and ceremonies and observed on the last Monday of May.

Is Memorial Day a federal holiday?

Memorial Day became an official federal holiday in 1971 and the day is usually celebrated with parades, ceremonies and even sales.

What is open Memorial Day?

With Memorial Day being a federal holiday, most government offices and some businesses will be closed for the holiday weekend.

Has it always been called Memorial Day?

No.

The day that is now Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and began during the American Civil War when citizens placed flowers on the graves of those who had been killed in battle. It wasn't until after World War I, when it became a day observed in honor of all of those who had died in all wars the U.S. was part of, and its name was changed.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: When is Memorial Day 2024? Why we observer the last Monday in may