Vicksburg is preparing to spend four days celebrating the men and women who fought and died for American freedom.

Beginning early this morning, Vicksburg National Military Park staff and volunteers, including a group from the Vicksburg Senior Center, placed flags on the graves of 18,000 soldiers and their spouses buried at Vicksburg National Cemetery in the park.

Park volunteers and rangers dressed in uniforms dating to the Revolutionary War will set up displays at the park’s Visitor Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sunday.

The U.S. Air Force Reserve Brass Quintet will perform Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the USS Cairo at the military park as part of the park’s program on military through the ages.

At 10 a.m. Monday a parade of veterans will roll north along Washington Street starting at Belmont and ending at Jackson Street before an 11 a.m. memorial service at City Auditorium. The speaker will be Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey L. Riggs, 184th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, who also is undersheriff of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office..

At 12:30 p.m., a motorcade will leave the auditorium for a wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of an unknown soldier at Vicksburg National Cemetery.

At noon, American Legion Allein Post 3 and Post 213 will serve lunch for veterans and active-duty military at 1712 Monroe St.

At Outlets at Vicksburg customer service office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, a memorial display will be set up for photos, letters and other writings from those who gave their lives in service. The display will remain in suite 109 until Tuesday.

At 3 p.m. Monday, the military park will participate in the National Moment of Remembrance, asking all visitors and staff to pause for one minute in a silent tribute to those who died in service to the country.

Admission to Vicksburg National military Park on Saturday and Sunday is $8 per car, but admission is free for the wreath-laying ceremony Monday.