Memorial Day 2027 is May 31. Norfolk's city ceremony was at 2 p.m. at the MacArthur Memorial in 2026; trash runs as normal, and Ocean View lifeguards start.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. 2027 plans were not out yet when we checked; we give the 2026 details and say which year each is from. Facts come from the Downtown Norfolk Council’s 2026 ceremony listing, the city calendar, the city’s holiday collection schedule, Norfolk Public Schools’ 2026-27 calendar and the city’s beaches page.

Memorial Day 2027 is Monday, May 31. Norfolk’s public ceremony is held by the City of Norfolk Veterans Affairs Commission. In 2026 it was at 2 p.m. at the MacArthur Memorial, 198 Bank St., downtown; 2027 details are not out yet. The holiday weekend also starts the summer beach season at Ocean View.

Who to call

  • Trash and bulk pickup: Norfolk Cares, 757-664-6510
  • Beaches and parks: Norfolk Parks and Recreation, 757-823-4291
  • Emergency on the beach: 911

The city’s Memorial Day ceremony

On Monday, May 25, 2026, the MacArthur Memorial hosted the Veterans Affairs Commission’s ceremony at 2 p.m., open to the public, the Downtown Norfolk Council listing said. The museum opened for special holiday hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free poppy activities all day: families learned what the poppy stands for, made paper poppies, added one to a community wreath and took home a flower and flag arrangement for a loved one’s grave or memorial.

In 2025 the city’s ceremony was on Monday, May 26, with remarks from the commandant of the Joint Forces Staff College, the city calendar shows.

The MacArthur Memorial’s regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; check its calendar for 2027.

Trash and recycling

The city’s 2026 holiday schedule lists no change to collection for Memorial Day. For the Tuesday after the holiday, bulk pickup must be requested by 3 p.m. the Friday before (in 2026, Friday, May 22, for Tuesday, May 26). The 2027 schedule will follow; check the holiday collection page or our trash and recycling guide.

What is open and closed

Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, 2027
Norfolk Public Schools Closed
Trash pickup No change listed (2026 schedule)
Ocean View beaches Open; lifeguards from Memorial Day weekend last summer

Hours for city offices, libraries and recreation centers on Memorial Day 2027 had not been posted when we checked; we will add them.

Beach season

Last summer, lifeguards worked daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Community Beach, 700 E. Ocean View Ave., and Ocean View Beach, 100 W. Ocean View Ave., from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Dogs are not allowed on the beach from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from the Saturday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, the city’s beaches page says.

What this means for you

  • Put trash out on your normal day; book Tuesday bulk pickup by Friday.
  • Leave dogs home on beach days from the Saturday before Memorial Day, May 29, 2027.
  • Pools and camps open soon after; see summer camps and pools.

Related guides: parks and trails, Labor Day in Norfolk and history and landmarks.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Norfolk’s Memorial Day ceremony?

In 2026 the City of Norfolk Veterans Affairs Commission’s ceremony was at 2 p.m. Monday, May 25, at the MacArthur Memorial, 198 Bank St., open to the public. The 2027 details had not been posted when we checked.

Is trash picked up on Memorial Day in Norfolk?

The city’s holiday schedule lists no change to collection for Memorial Day. Bulk requests for the Tuesday after Memorial Day are due by 3 p.m. the Friday before.

When do lifeguards start at Norfolk beaches?

Last summer lifeguards worked daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Community Beach and Ocean View Beach from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

Are Norfolk schools closed on Memorial Day 2027?

Yes. Norfolk Public Schools is closed Monday, May 31, 2027. The last day of school is Friday, June 4, an early release day.