Memorial Day Weekend 2027 · Chicago
The EDC
Remembrance Muster.
Honor the fallen. Push yourself. Do it together.
Open to everyone 18+ — veterans, service members, first responders, athletes, families of age, and every neighbor who wants to stand with them. No service record required.
A Memorial Day fitness & wellbeing weekend · 18+
- When
- Memorial Day Weekend 2027
- Where
- Chicago · Venue announced Spring 2026
Target · Memorial Day Weekend 2027
Why “Muster”?
To gather. To account for one another.
To move forward together.
In military tradition, a muster is the gathering of service members to account for one another before moving forward. The EDC Remembrance Muster brings veterans, first responders, athletes, and community together each Memorial Day — to honor those who never came home, and to strengthen the community they fought to protect.
Planned rhythm · Two days
Here’s the shape.
Two days, one mission. The full lineup lands with founding sponsors and confirmed Op leads — but the planned rhythm below is the shape we’re building around.
Day 1
Saturday · Memorial ops
Physical · Ceremonial
- 0700
Op COLORS
Opening ceremony. Presentation of colors. Rifle salute.
- 0800
Op HERO WOD
First heats of the Muster Hero WOD (RX + Scaled).
- 0900
Op FIELD
Morning classes open — HIIT, strength, mobility, combatives.
- 1000
Op RANKS
Community marketplace + vendor village open.
- 1200
Op COLORS
Memorial tribute. Moment of silence. Names read aloud.
- 1300
Op WARRIOR MIND
Breathwork, meditation, mental-health resource booths.
- 1500
Op HERO WOD
Afternoon heats — Partner, Team, First Responder, Military.
- 1700
Op RATIONS
Beer Garden opens (21+, valid ID). Food trucks running.
- 1900
Op RANKS
Live music, main stage, community assembly.
Day 2
Sunday · Community ops
Mental · Community
- 0800
Op FIELD
Sunrise mobility + ruck-fitness class.
- 0900
Op WARRIOR MIND
Sound bath. Guided meditation. Recovery-focused programming.
- 1000
Op HERO WOD
18+ Community heat — anyone can join, scaled to every fitness level.
- 1100
Op RECOVERY
Massage, mobility clinics, cold plunge, hydration open.
- 1200
Op COLORS
Closing colors ceremony. Muster Wall reflection.
- 1300
Op RANKS
Community lunch. Vendor village + veteran org marketplace.
- 1500
Op RATIONS
Post-mission celebration — Beer Garden + main stage.
- 1700
Op COLORS
Muster stand-down. Formation photo. Announcements for next year.
Times, formats, and instructors subject to change as Op leads and partners commit. The Muster is 18+ · Beer Garden 21+ with valid ID.
This is the energy
See it in motion.
Footage from the community fitness gathering that became the Muster. Same faces. Same intensity. Same reason we’re building it back bigger for Memorial Day 2027.
The operations
Seven ops. One weekend.
Physical, mental, communal — the full mission.
Op01PhysicalOp HERO WOD
The primary objective.
The Muster Hero WOD is modeled on the U.S. Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) — the six-event standard every soldier trains for — adapted into a scalable tribute set. Deadlift (carry the weight), hand-release push-ups (grit), sprint-drag-carry (never leave anyone behind), plank (hold the line), and a run for those who never came home. Planned heat divisions: RX, Scaled, Partner, Team, Adaptive, First Responder, Military, and 18+ Community — confirmed as heat leads and adaptive partners commit. Anyone 18+ can compete or scale down. No service record required.
Op02PhysicalOp FIELD
The fitness deployment zone.
Every gym, studio, trainer, and wellness partner in the city. Free classes and demos in HIIT, strength, mobility, functional movement, combatives, ruck fitness. Report in, drop in, plug in.
Op03MentalOp WARRIOR MIND
Mental readiness & mind-body ops.
Breathwork, meditation, sound baths, mental-health resource booths, veteran-serving therapists on-site, and a quiet tent for anyone who needs to step away. Fitness is only half the mission.
Op04CeremonialOp COLORS
Ceremony, colors & remembrance.
The Honor Walk carrying every name. Opening colors ceremony. Rifle salute. Memorial tribute at 1200. The reason the whole weekend exists — held with weight, held to standard.
Op05CommunityOp RANKS
Community assembly area.
Chicago's veteran nonprofits, VSOs, universities, employers, government agencies, plus veteran-owned vendors and small businesses. One assembly point for every org serving those who served.
Op06PhysicalOp RECOVERY
Post-mission decompression.
Massage, stretching, mobility clinics, hydration station, cold plunge, seating, and shade. Open to every attendee, not just athletes. Recovery is part of the mission set.
Op07LogisticsOp RATIONS
Chow line & the 21+ bar.
Chicago food trucks all day, coffee, hydration station. Beer Garden opens at 1200 for 21+ with valid ID — local breweries, N/A options, designated seating. Fuel the day, then celebrate what you just did.
What’s included
Every registration.
Full mission. All ops. Both days.
- Full-weekend Festival access (both days)
- One heat in the Muster Hero WOD (any division)
- Drop-in access to every Op FIELD class
- Op WARRIOR MIND programming (breathwork, meditation, sound baths, resource booths)
- Op RECOVERY access — massage, mobility, cold plunge, hydration
- Op RANKS marketplace + vendor village
- Live entertainment + Op COLORS ceremony
- Muster shirt + finisher tag
- Op RATIONS: food-truck credit + beer-garden entry (21+, valid ID)
- 100% of proceeds directly fund the Foundation's programs and future Campus
Class times, instructors, sponsors, and location subject to change. Bring a signed waiver + valid photo ID at check-in.
Report in
Get your pass.
Registration opens Winter 2026. Waitlist gets the first briefing, first pricing, and first crack at every heat before general registration.
Saturday OR Sunday
One Day Pass
Single day, full access
Waitlist open
Pricing announced Winter 2026
- Full Festival access for your chosen day
- One Muster Hero WOD heat (any division)
- Drop-in on every Op FIELD class that day
- Op WARRIOR MIND + Op RECOVERY access
- Op RANKS marketplace + Op RATIONS food-truck credit
- Recommended · Best value
Full weekend
Two Day Pass
Both days, full access
Waitlist open
Pricing announced Winter 2026
- Full Festival access, Saturday + Sunday
- One Muster Hero WOD heat (any division)
- Every Op FIELD class, both days
- Op COLORS ceremony + Honor Walk access
- Op WARRIOR MIND, Op RECOVERY, Op RANKS, Op RATIONS
- Muster shirt + finisher tag
- Beer Garden entry (21+, valid ID)
You + 3
Unit Pack (4)
Squad of four, two-day passes
Waitlist open
Pricing announced Winter 2026
- Four full-weekend Two Day Passes, bundle-priced
- Squad-registered together — same heat if you want it
- Partner + Team heat eligible
- Everything in the Two Day Pass, × 4
Your Muster pass includes
- Full-weekend Festival access (both days)
- One heat in the Muster Hero WOD (any division)
- Drop-in access to every Op FIELD class
- Op WARRIOR MIND programming (breathwork, meditation, sound baths, resource booths)
- Op RECOVERY access — massage, mobility, cold plunge, hydration
- Op RANKS marketplace + vendor village
- Live entertainment + Op COLORS ceremony
- Muster shirt + finisher tag
- Op RATIONS: food-truck credit + beer-garden entry (21+, valid ID)
- 100% of proceeds directly fund the Foundation's programs and future Campus
Institutional
Sponsors don’t need a ticket.
Founding-year placement, named on every mention, annual impact report. Direct your sponsorship to a fund and get the strongest placement of the founding year.
18+ athletes, 21+ Beer Garden with valid ID. All registrations final, non-refundable, non-transferable except as required by law. Class times, instructors, sponsors, and location subject to change. Waitlist priority does not guarantee a pass. See event legal for full terms.
Partner with us
Help build an op.
Every operation needs an owner.
The Muster is being built by a coalition — not a staff. Pick the operation closest to what you do and partner with us to program it, staff it, or bring your org into it. Gyms, studios, mental-health providers, chefs, breweries, mobility clinicians, veteran orgs, vendors, musicians — every op has open seats.
Op HERO WOD
The primary objective.
The Muster Hero WOD is modeled on the U.S. Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) — the six-event standard every soldier trains for — adapted into a scalable tribute set. Deadlift (carry the weight), hand-release push-ups (grit), sprint-drag-carry (never leave anyone behind), plank (hold the line), and a run for those who never came home. Planned heat divisions: RX, Scaled, Partner, Team, Adaptive, First Responder, Military, and 18+ Community — confirmed as heat leads and adaptive partners commit. Anyone 18+ can compete or scale down. No service record required.
Op FIELD
The fitness deployment zone.
Every gym, studio, trainer, and wellness partner in the city. Free classes and demos in HIIT, strength, mobility, functional movement, combatives, ruck fitness. Report in, drop in, plug in.
Op WARRIOR MIND
Mental readiness & mind-body ops.
Breathwork, meditation, sound baths, mental-health resource booths, veteran-serving therapists on-site, and a quiet tent for anyone who needs to step away. Fitness is only half the mission.
Op COLORS
Ceremony, colors & remembrance.
The Honor Walk carrying every name. Opening colors ceremony. Rifle salute. Memorial tribute at 1200. The reason the whole weekend exists — held with weight, held to standard.
Op RANKS
Community assembly area.
Chicago's veteran nonprofits, VSOs, universities, employers, government agencies, plus veteran-owned vendors and small businesses. One assembly point for every org serving those who served.
Op RECOVERY
Post-mission decompression.
Massage, stretching, mobility clinics, hydration station, cold plunge, seating, and shade. Open to every attendee, not just athletes. Recovery is part of the mission set.
Op RATIONS
Chow line & the 21+ bar.
Chicago food trucks all day, coffee, hydration station. Beer Garden opens at 1200 for 21+ with valid ID — local breweries, N/A options, designated seating. Fuel the day, then celebrate what you just did.
Multi-op commitment
Muster Planning Council
Multi-month commitment across every op — venue, program design, vendor recruitment, safety, volunteers. A working board that shapes the whole weekend.
Every partner request lands with Damian and the Foundation team. Response within a few business days.
FAQ
Common questions.
Who is the Muster for?
Everyone 18 and over. Veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard and Reserve, first responders, military spouses and families of age, athletes, and every neighbor who wants to stand with them. No service record required.
Is this a competition?
No. The Muster is a fitness festival, not a fitness test. The Hero WOD is one of many workouts — most attendees are here for group training, wellness ops, the recovery lounge, music, food, and community.
Is the Hero WOD a specific workout?
The Muster Hero WOD is our own tribute-format workout — modeled on the U.S. Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), the six-event standard every soldier trains for, adapted into a scalable tribute set anyone 18+ can complete. It's designed and programmed independently by the Foundation to honor every fallen service member. Complete legal + trademark disclosure lives on the Muster legal page.
Do I have to work out at all?
No. The Muster is built as much for spectators and neighbors as it is for athletes. Op RANKS, Op RATIONS, Op RECOVERY, Op COLORS, and the main stage are all open with or without a workout.
Can beginners participate?
That's the plan. We're programming scaled workouts, first-timer clinics, and mobility sessions so a brand-new attendee has just as much to do as someone who's been training for years. Confirmed programming lands as heat leads commit.
Will there be adaptive options?
That's the intent. We're actively recruiting adaptive fitness partners and hope to run adaptive-friendly sessions and a dedicated Adaptive Athlete Zone. We'll confirm what we lock in as partners commit — no promise before it's real.
Is the Muster family-friendly?
The Muster is an 18-and-over event. Anyone 18+ is welcome. Under-18 attendees can't participate on-site; separate family programming lives under the Foundation's Family & Belonging pillar.
How can my organization get involved?
Five paths: Planning Council, Op leaders, Sponsors, Vendors, and Community Partners. Start on the Partner page — pick the Op closest to what you do and we'll route the conversation. We do our best to respond within a few business days.
Help us build it
Two ways to shape this weekend.
Founding sponsors get the strongest placement — logo on every asset, name in every mention. Volunteers make the day possible.
For businesses + brands
Sponsorship
Presenting sponsor, tier packages, and in-kind partnership. Founding-year slots are limited.
See sponsor tiersFor individuals + gyms
Register interest
Athlete registration, volunteer signup, gym host applications, and Planning Council openings.
RegisterWhere we are · road to Memorial Day 2027
- 01In progress
Community Vision
- 02Recruiting
Planning Council
- 03Next
Partners & Sponsors
- 04Planned
Festival Announcement
- 05Memorial Day 2027 target
Festival Weekend
100% of proceeds
directly fund
the Foundation’s programs
and the future Campus.
The Muster is a fundraiser. Every dollar has a destination.
Memorial Day
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
— Ronald Reagan
The EDC Remembrance Muster is an Esprit de Corps Foundation event honoring every service member who never came home. One weekend a year, Chicago accounts for the ones we lost — and strengthens the community they fought for.