National Purple Heart Day — Mount Vernon Ceremony

George Washington’s Mount Vernon will hold its official National Purple Heart Day Commemoration Ceremony on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Fairfax County estate, according to the site’s event calendar. Mount Vernon says the public program will run from 10 a.m. to noon in the Robert H. and Clarice Smith Auditorium and is included with general admission. The estate says the ceremony is being held with members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. A Northern Virginia events guide published this month also lists the Mount Vernon observance among regional August events. ### When is the Mount Vernon ceremony, and what is confirmed? August 8, 2026, is the date listed on Mount Vernon’s event page and on the estate’s August calendar. Mount Vernon says the commemoration begins at 10:30 a.m., after a patriotic performance by the Mount Vernon Chamber Singers scheduled for 10 a.m. The event page describes the program as Mount Vernon’s “official National Purple Heart Day Commemoration Ceremony.” That differs from some regional listings that refer more generally to Purple Heart Day observances on or around August 7, the date associated with National Purple Heart Day and the 1782 creation of the badge’s precursor. (mountvernon.org) ### Why is Mount Vernon tied so closely to Purple Heart Day? August 7, 1782, is the date Mount Vernon cites for George Washington’s creation of the Badge of Military Merit, which the estate describes as the precursor to the Purple Heart. The event page says Washington established three military badges in General Orders to honor the service of ordinary soldiers. (mountvernon.org) Mount Vernon frames the ceremony around that history. The estate says visitors can hear an address from its costumed General Washington interpreter about the creation of the Purple Heart and its place as a U.S. military decoration. ### What will visitors see at the ceremony? The Robert H. and Clarice Smith Auditorium is the listed venue for the 2026 program. (mountvernon.org) Mount Vernon says the event is open to the public and includes the pre-ceremony musical performance before formal remarks begin. George Washington’s Mount Vernon also directs visitors to the Purple Heart memorial trail marker outside the estate entrance area. (mountvernon.org) The site says the marker was dedicated on August 7, 1998, by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. ### Where is the memorial marker, and what does it commemorate? (mountvernon.org) The marker sits off the traffic circle northeast of the Texas Gate main entrance, according to Mount Vernon. The estate says it commemorates the establishment of the Badge of Military Merit by Washington while he was commander in chief of the Continental Army. That marker gives the ceremony a physical link to the award’s origins. (mountvernon.org) Mount Vernon describes it as a site where visitors can trace the history of military badges at the home of the officer who created the original decoration. ### What does it cost to attend, and who gets in free? Mount Vernon lists adult daytime admission at $30, youth admission for ages 6 to 11 at $16, and free entry for children 5 and under. (mountvernon.org) The estate says the Purple Heart commemoration is included with admission for other guests. Purple Heart recipients receive free admission to Mount Vernon 365 days a year, the estate says. (mountvernon.org) Mount Vernon also says members of the military receive a discount on daytime admission. ### Where can readers check details before going? Mount Vernon’s event page is the primary listing for the August 8 ceremony and includes the time, venue and admission details. (mountvernon.org) The estate’s broader August calendar also shows the Purple Heart Commemoration on Aug. 8, while the Northern Virginia events guide points readers to the Mount Vernon observance as one of the region’s featured August programs. Saturday’s program is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon at 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, with the formal ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m., according to Mount Vernon’s listing. (mountvernon.org)