News

The U.S. Army turns 250 in 2025, and Cantigny is planning a months-long celebration, including special exhibits at the First Division Museum, programs for families, and a special performance by Actor and Humanitarian Gary Sinise & the Lt. Dan Band as they return to Cantigny. The band, which is a Gary Sinise Foundation program, has performed more than 580 concerts around the globe to uplift our nation’s heroes along with their families who have sacrificed so much.  

“Everyday at Cantigny we’re honored to celebrate and commemorate the service and sacrifice of all who have served,” says Matt LaFond, Executive Director, Cantigny. “Continuing in the tradition of Colonel Robert R. McCormick, our founder, we look forward to welcoming service members and their families and inviting our community to join us for an exciting series of engaging and educational programs and events.”  

Gary Sinise & Lt. Dan Band Returns to Cantigny  

Gary Sinise & Lt. Dan Band will celebrate and entertain our heroes and their families at Cantigny on Saturday, July 12. Gates open at 2 pm, the opening act begins at 6 pm. Tickets are on sale now for the WSFDV Rockin’ for Our Vets Charity Concert at Cantigny Park on July 12, 2025. All proceeds will benefit WSFDV, an Illinois not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to provide housing and other living needs to Disabled Veterans and their families, established in 2005.  More information is online at wsfdv.org.

First Division Museum Hosts Special Exhibits and Display of Military Vehicles 

The First Division Museum at Cantigny will host a special exhibition, “D-Day Omaha Beach,” (May 18 to June 22), that will bring the momentous feats of June 6, 1944 to life with intricate dioramas and life size soldier’s kits. Join exhibit designer, Keith Rocco, for a presentation on May 29 at 6pm to discuss. 

This exhibit augments the Museum’s emotional story of the U.S. Army’s 1^st Infantry Division service on D-Day, that includes the exhibition, “Nothing But Victory,” an interactive outdoor sculptural exhibition, commissioned in honor of the 80^th anniversary of the D-Day landings in France.  

Additionally, Cantigny’s popular fleet of antique military vehicles, from WWI to present, including the Bell UH-1 Iroquois Helicopter (Huey), will be on display.  

Celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250^th Birthday 

The Illinois National Guard and the Association of the U.S. Army will honor Colonel Robert McCormick in June with a ceremony that coincides with the Army’s 250^th Birthday and a reunion of hundreds of 1^st Infantry Division veterans and servicemembers. Colonel McCormick served in the 1^st Infantry Division during World War I, was a founder of the American Legion, and established Cantigny American Legion Post 556 in Wheaton.  

• Cantigny will host a special concert on Friday, June 20.  
• On Saturday June 21, families can meet service members, challenge themselves in   an inflatable bootcamp, make their own camo, try on historic uniforms, and more. 

Additional highlights of Cantigny’s Salute to Service  

• American Legion Post 556 will conduct a Memorial Day ceremony, Monday, May 26, with a Color Guard and Rifle Salute, starting at 11:30 AM.
  
• Celebrate the 80^th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, Thursday, May 8, which ended WWII in Europe, at the McCormick House.  
• Enjoy cocktails/mocktails and small bites on Thursday, June 26 and dig deeper into the story of D-Day with a guided tour of the Nothing but Victory D-Day Exhibit with the Curator of the First Division Museum.  
• Special exhibits honoring the 1^st Infantry Division’s “Year of the Warrior” and noncommissioned officer of the year 
• Families can drop in on Fridays 10am to 1 pm June through August for special programs and opportunities to engage with the First Division Museum’s “Nothing But Victory” outdoor exhibit. Dive into topics like Landing Crafts, Paratroopers, and World War II inventions. 

For tickets and more information about Cantigny, including hours, attractions, and upcoming events, please visit Cantigny.org. 

About Cantigny

Cantigny, in Wheaton, Illinois, is the 500-acre estate of Colonel Robert R. McCormick (1880-1955), long-time editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune, and founder of the Chicago-based Robert R. McCormick Foundation. It is home to gardens, walking trails, a museum dedicated to the 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, a highly ranked 27-hole public golf course, and a golf academy for all ages. More information is online at Cantigny.org, including hours, admission fees and upcoming events. 

About the Gary Sinise Foundation

Gary Sinise is an award-winning actor and humanitarian, best known for his roles in CSI:NY, Apollo 13, and his Oscar-nominated performance in the film Forrest Gump as the wounded Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor. An advocate for our nation’s defenders since the 1980s, after 9/11 Sinise began a tireless crusade to support America’s military and first responders around the world with handshake tours and concerts with his band, the Lt. Dan Band. In 2011, he established the Gary Sinise Foundation as an extension of those efforts. Today, the Foundation is building custom homes for severely wounded heroes, honoring and supporting the families of our fallen, providing essential equipment and training for first responders, improving the mental wellness of our defenders, and so much more. For more information and to support, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.