Pearl Harbor is turning Memorial Day weekend into a free, three-day remembrance event, with ranger-led tours, outdoor movies and a livestreamed underwater dive at the USS Arizona. The programming runs from Saturday through Memorial Day, May 23 to 25, 2026, and organizers say admission and parking will be free throughout the holiday. Visitors can also join guided visits to the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma memorials, lay floral tributes and take part in a commemorative bell-ringing ceremony on Memorial Day afternoon.
Weekend schedule and live dive
The National Park Service has released a weekend schedule that features a live underwater exploration of the USS Arizona at 10 a.m. HST on Memorial Day, followed by a commemorative ceremony and ringing of the Arizona bell at 12:30 p.m. HST. According to the National Park Service, the dive team will be joined by Navy divers, members of the Submerged Resources Center and participants from the Wounded Warrior Project for the livestream. Guided programs and after-hours boat tours specifically for active and veteran service members are also on the schedule.
Organizers: a place to pause and remember
Pacific Historic Parks is pitching the long weekend as more than just a free outing. It is meant to be a space for reflection in the middle of a busy holiday. “Memorial Day weekend at Pearl Harbor gives families and visitors a place to pause and remember,” Pacific Historic Parks President and CEO Aileen Utterdyke said, as reported by Hawaii News Now.
Films and peace programming
The event listing from Pacific Historic Parks includes outdoor screenings on the lawn near the USS Arizona of “Arizona Underwater” and “Under the Blood Red Sun.” There will also be a Sadako Peace Ceremony, which highlights reconciliation and the sister-park relationship with Hiroshima Peace Park. Floral tributes and commemorative name cards honoring veterans memorialized at Pearl Harbor are also on the schedule, according to Pacific Historic Parks.
Tours, shuttles and visitor details
National Park Service rangers plan to lead free interpretive tours of the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma memorials daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with shuttle service between the sites running every 30 minutes. The NPS also notes that after-hours boat tours for active and veteran service members are slated for May 23 and 24 at 3:45 p.m., with capacity limited to 145 passengers per boat, according to the National Park Service.
How to attend
All events are free and open to the public, and organizers say parking will also be free on Memorial Day. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, since lawn seating and boat tour spots tend to fill quickly, Hawaii News Now reports. For the complete schedule, updates and visitor guidance, organizers direct the public to the Pacific Historic Parks events calendar; the group serves as the cooperative association for the Pearl Harbor sites. Pacific Historic Parks maintains the most current event information.
