What Memorial Day is
The American day of remembrance for military personnel who died in service, kept on the last Monday in May since the holiday was moved to create a long weekend in 1971.
It grew out of Decoration Day, when graves were decorated after the Civil War, and it informally marks the start of summer.
When it falls, and why the date moves
The countdown at the top of this page is live, and the date beneath it is the next occurrence. The date is set by a weekday rule rather than a fixed number, so it lands on a different date each year within a known window.
It is grouped here under National, alongside the other observances that share its calendar.
What is coming up next
Once this date passes, the countdown moves straight on to the next occurrence — you do not need a different page for next year. See the full list of upcoming events, or use the countdown timer for a date of your own.
| Event | Date | Days |
|---|---|---|
| 📚 International Literacy Day 2026 | 8 Sep 2026 | 5 |
| 🌼 Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) 2026 | 11 Sep 2026 | 8 |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico Independence Day 2026 | 16 Sep 2026 | 13 |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia Day 2026 | 16 Sep 2026 | 13 |
| 🇨🇱 Chile Independence Day 2026 | 18 Sep 2026 | 15 |
Where to go next
This memorial day countdown has its own page, so the link keeps working next year as well as this one. If you came here wondering what time it is somewhere rather than how long is left, the time around the world has the current time in every country and city.
- event countdowns — live countdowns to holidays and festivals worldwide
- countdown timer — count down from any length you set
- World Clock — pick a country or city and read its clock, offset and daylight saving rules
- time zone converter — turn a time in one place into the same instant in another
- world time — the current time in every country, territory and US state