Dates & hours: Opens Wed, Sept 10 at 4:00 PM and remains in town through Sun, Sept 14 at 3:00 PM (daily programming runs from Reveille at 7:00 AM to Taps at 7:00 PM; schedule below). Location: Cove Park, Wethersfield (near the DMV). Host: Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce.
What’s coming: The American Veterans Traveling Tribute (AVTT) brings its 80%–scale, ~360-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial—etched with every name from the original—alongside tributes that honor service from World War I through the present, including 9/11.
Why this Wall matters
The AVTT Vietnam Traveling Wall is a faithful, large-scale replica of the memorial in Washington, D.C., allowing families, veterans, and neighbors to pay respects without traveling to the capital. The replica spans roughly 360 feet and rises to about eight feet at the apex—a powerful presence that invites quiet reflection and name rubbings.
In Washington, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial bears 58,281 names (as of 2025, with no new additions this year), a solemn accounting maintained by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and National Park Service. Visitors in Wethersfield will encounter those same names on the traveling wall.
Not the VVMF trailer exhibit: This Wethersfield event is the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall. It is distinct from VVMF’s The Wall That Heals (a separate 3/4-scale exhibit with a mobile education center). Both honor the fallen; they’re simply operated by different organizations.
The Wethersfield program (subject to change)
Venue: Cove Park, Wethersfield (near DMV) • Map & details: Town event page.
Wednesday, Sept 10
- Wall set-up
- 4:00 PM – Open for public viewing
- 5:00 PM – Blessing of the Wall
- 7:00 PM – Taps
Thursday, Sept 11 (Patriot Day)
- 7:00 AM – Reveille; MC Renee DiNino; Sean Cattanach
- 8:46, 9:03, 9:37, 9:59, 10:03, 10:28 AM – Moments corresponding to 9/11 timeline; Honor Guard places flowers
- 11:00 AM – WHS Choralaires (patriotic performance)
- 12:00 PM – Aircraft fly-over
- 12:30 PM – Opening remarks
- 4:30–5:15 PM – Wethersfield Story Time & The Wall Experience
- 7:00 PM – Taps
Friday, Sept 12
- 7:00 AM – Reveille; POW/MIA table; Honor Guard wreath
- 10:00 AM, 1:30 PM, 5:00 PM – Reading of the POW/MIA (with bagpipes)
- 5:45–6:30 PM – Wethersfield Story Time & The Wall Experience
- 6:00 PM – Vietnam bracelet name-finding
- 7:00 PM – Taps
Saturday, Sept 13
- 7:00 AM – Reveille
- 9:00 AM – Remembrance Stone dedication
- TBD – Black Hawk landing & National Guard vehicles
- 11:00 AM – Remarks by local officials & veterans
- 1:00 PM – First Company Governor’s Foot Guard
- All day – Mutts Mending Mankind (support dogs)
- 7:00 PM – Taps
- After Taps – Candlelight vigil
Sunday, Sept 14 (Closing Day)
- 7:00 AM – Reveille
- 10:00 AM – Colonel Chester Fife & Drum
- 12:00 PM – Gold Star Families program (Speaker: Brian Miller)
- 12:30 PM – Families escorted to loved ones’ panels; Guard Riders silent ride & flag lines; yellow rose & flags presented to families
- 2:00 PM – Closing remarks
- 2:30 PM – Flag folding into a shadow box (presented to winner)
- 3:00 PM – Wall dismantle
How to visit
- Where: Cove Park, Wethersfield, CT (near the DMV). The Town’s calendar lists the venue as Cove Park, Main Street, with the event window Sept 10, 4:00 PM – Sept 14, 3:00 PM.
- Cost: Free and open to the public. Schedule updates and any logistical notes will be posted on the official town and Chamber channels.
- Organizer contact: Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce, 200 Main St., Wethersfield, CT 06109, (860) 721-6200, Office@WethersfieldChamber.com.
Finding a name & preparing for your visit
- If you plan to honor someone specific, use the VVMF name database in advance to confirm panel and line; volunteers on site can also help during the event.
- As of 2025, the total inscribed at the memorial remains 58,281 (no new additions this year). Status symbol changes (e.g., repatriations) are announced annually by VVMF.
- The Wall is outdoors on park grounds. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes, and bring what you need to spend time at specific panels. Quiet, respectful conduct is encouraged throughout programming hours.
About AVTT’s Traveling Wall
AVTT’s mission is to bring the tribute to communities nationwide—recognizing service, preserving stories, and educating younger generations. The replica wall spans roughly 360 feet and stands about eight feet at its highest point, with every name from the Washington, D.C. memorial. In many host cities, the exhibit appears alongside “Cost of Freedom” tributes commemorating service across multiple conflicts.
Official sources & updates
- Town of Wethersfield event listing & full schedule (live updates): American Veterans Traveling Tribute Wall at Cove Park.
- Town calendar (overview entry): Dates, venue, and map links.
- Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce (host/contact): Phone, address, and email.
- About the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the names: National Park Service & VVMF.
