FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- On a day of remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, Memorial Day ceremonies are taking place throughout the area.
One such ceremony is taking place in the Fayetteville National Cemetery starting at 10 a.m. today.
Nearly 10,000 flags were placed at all of the headstones in the cemetery over the weekend by volunteers. The Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting the ceremony to honor veterans who served and sacrified.
The ceremony will feature speakers and music, a cannon volley, memorial wreath recognition, folding of the flag and a rifle volley.
Many people come from out of town to visit loved ones' graves and be a part of the ceremony.
The director of the Fayetteville National Cemetery said there's nothing quite like stepping onto the grounds of the cemetery and taking it all in.
"It's a way for them to come out and honor the past, those in the past, so the torch can be handed off, saying 'it's in your hands now,' " said cemetery Director Albert Maxwell. "That's what we really would like people to take away."
The American Legion is hosting a luncheon for everyone attending the ceremony today. They're serving chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers. The luncheon will follow the 10 a.m. ceremony.
Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan and U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R.-Ark., are expected to attend. The event is free and open to the public.
The Fort Smith National Cemetery held its Memorial Day ceremony Sunday (May 27). A video and information on the event can be found here.