INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Memorial Day Weekend TV: War Movies, TCM Marathon, National Memorial Day Concert, And Indy 500

By Charisse Van Horn
Published on: 11:50 PST, May 27, 2016

Memorial Day is on Monday, May 30, and there is plenty on TV this weekend to keep you entertained. Memorial Day was formerly known as Decoration Day, and is a time when people recognize and honor the sacrifice veterans have made for their country. Many spend Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and placing flowers, wreaths and flags on the graves of fallen soldiers. Others volunteer their time to help those in need, particularly veterans. While many enjoy outdoor activities such as parades, there are plenty of opportunities to stay inside this Memorial Day weekend and still remain focused on the nature of the federal holiday. Those who feel like watching television will find many war movies, TV marathons, and the Indianapolis 500 to choose from.

Beginning Friday night, Turner Classics Movies (TCM) is launching a war movie marathon complete with social interaction and live tweeting to ensure the Memorial Day weekend starts off right. Other notable television events for the Memorial Day weekend include the National Memorial Day Concert on Sunday night. TCM kicks off their war movies marathon Friday night at 8 p.m.

Some of the movies featured on the TCM Memorial Day weekend marathon include the war movies Battle of the Bulge, The Longest Day, The Dozen Dirty, Men in War, Bombardier, Behind the Rising Sun, Marine Raiders, Flying Leathernecks, They Were Expendable, The Caine Mutiny, The Hill, The Bridge on the River Kwai, A Bridge too Far, From Here to Eternity, PT 109, The Horizontal Lieutenant, Imitation General, and Kelly’s Heroes. The TCM Memorial Day weekend marathon concludes at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 31, with the film Objective, Burma. You may see the full TCM movie schedule here: TCM Memorial Day weekend marathon schedule.

Also airing on May 29, at 8 p.m. ET, is the National Memorial Day Concert. The concert airs on PBS and those who are away from their television sets can watch the show as it streams live online. This is the 27th annual Memorial Day Concert and it promises to be a wonderful event.

If you want to stay in this weekend and binge watch one of your favorite shows, you’re in luck. Understandably, not everyone will want to spend the Memorial Day weekend watching war movies and there are plenty of other choices available.

TV Guide provided a full listing of television marathons airing Memorial Day weekend, and many of these are popular, entertainment and crime series. The marathons begin Friday night and some will continue throughout the weekend. Some of the marathons include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dr. Phil, Nightmare on Elm Street, Disney Channel Original Movie Marathon, Chrisley Knows Best, BBQ Pitmasters, Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, My Wife & Kids and the James Bond Movie Marathon.

Another popular television show that airs on Memorial Day weekend is the Indianapolis 500. The Indianapolis 500 has become synonymous with Memorial Day and will air on ABC, Sunday, May 29, at 12 p.m. The pre-show starts at 11 a.m. You may see the full schedule for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the official site.

How do you plan to celebrate Memorial Day weekend? Are you going to spend it outdoors, with war movies or bingewatching your favorite series? Are you going to watch the Indy 500?

[Photo by Carlos E. Santa Maria/Shutterstock]

Share this article: Memorial Day Weekend TV: War Movies, TCM Marathon, National Memorial Day Concert, And Indy 500
tv Movies memorial day
More from Inquisitr