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Memorial Day speech template (United States)

Published 10 October 2026 · Date checked on 5 October 2026 · Written by the Cue Card Converter team at EventProgrammer, event production professionals

Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday in May to honor members of the US armed forces who died while serving. It grew out of Decoration Day, when families decorated soldiers' graves with flowers after the Civil War. Flags fly at half-staff until noon, and a National Moment of Remembrance is observed at 3 p.m. local time. Communities hold parades, wreath-layings and cemetery services. Unlike Veterans Day, it is specifically for those who gave their lives.

Date
Last Monday in May
Next dates
Monday, May 31, 2027
Monday, May 29, 2028
Monday, May 28, 2029
Country
United States
Tone
Solemn – remembrance
Typical events
Cemetery and memorial services, wreath-laying ceremonies, town parades, American Legion and VFW post gatherings, and civic programs held at city halls and on town greens.
Length
236 spoken words · about 2 min at 130 words a minute · 5 cue cards

The Memorial Day speech, ready as cue cards

A complete host script in 5 cards, about 2 minutes of speaking. Open it in the editor to add your names, change the card size or highlights, and print.

  1. WELCOME
    Good morning. I'm {Your name}, and on behalf of {Organization}, welcome. We have come together on this Memorial Day for a single purpose: to honor the men and women of the United States armed forces who died while serving their country. Thank you for giving this morning to their memory.
    1 / 5
  2. WHERE THIS DAY BEGAN
    After the Civil War, families and communities across the country decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. That custom became Decoration Day, and in time, Memorial Day. Today we remember every service member who did not come home, from that war to the present. Each was someone's son or daughter, parent or friend.
    2 / 5
  3. READING OF NAMES
    We will now hear the names of those from our community who gave their lives in service. They will be read by {Reader's name and title}. Please stand if you are able, and remain standing until the last note of Taps.
    [READING OF NAMES – TAPS]
    Thank you. Please be seated.
    3 / 5
  4. A NATIONAL PAUSE
    At 3 p.m. local time today, Americans are asked to stop for the National Moment of Remembrance. Wherever you are at that hour, please pause for a minute. Think of the names you heard this morning, and of the families who feel their absence every single day.
    4 / 5
  5. CLOSING
    Thank you for honoring the fallen with us. As you leave, you are welcome to place a flower at {Memorial or monument}. Please keep their families in your thoughts, today and in the months ahead. This concludes our ceremony.
    5 / 5

Red is used only for names, titles, organisations, dates, times and section headings. Replace the words in {curly brackets} with your own details; lines in [SQUARE BRACKETS] are stage directions and are not read aloud.

How to adapt it

Print and rehearse

“Edit and print these cards” opens the script in the free cue card maker, where you can choose A5, 4 × 6 or 3 × 5 inch cards, print several per sheet with cut lines or export PDF, PowerPoint and Word, and rehearse full screen in practice mode. To write your own programme around it, see how to write an MC script and the run of show template.

Sources

Date and background checked on 5 October 2026 against: American holidays | USAGov. Customs vary between organisations and regions; always follow the official programme of your event.

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