The Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Grand Island (NVCGI) will be hosting a Memorial Day ceremony at 8:30 a.m. CT on Monday, May 25, 2026. It will be the cemetery’s first Memorial Day program since being dedicated July 12, 2025.
The ceremony will open with “Reveille” being performed by the Nebraska Army National Guard. Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs (NDVA) Director John Hilgert will serve as master of ceremonies, and Nebraska Adjutant General Major General Craig Strong will be the keynote speaker. Cemetery Administrator Randy Lonowski will conduct a tribute to the fallen to honor those who have been interred at NVCGI since its dedication. Post 53 – United Veterans Club will serve as color guard, local singer Hailey Johnson will perform patriotic music, and Bishop Joseph Hanefeldt will give the invocation and closing blessing.
The event is open to the public. Limited seating is available, but families are welcome to bring lawn chairs. NVCGI is located at 3270 West Capital Avenue in Grand Island. For more information on event specifics, contact Cemetery Administrator Randy Lonowski at Randolph.Lonowski@nebraska.gov or 308-661-1987.
Download the event flyer by clicking here.