Moving Vietnam Wall coming to Newcastle during 2026 Rally
Seen here is a photo of the Vietnam Wall in Washington D.C.. The wall that will come to Newcastle is 253 feet, slightly longer than half the length of the memorial at a length of 493.5 feet. The replica is composed of 74 separate frames and is six feet in height where the two walls join.
State grant, local partnerships bring nationally recognized memorial to proposed veterans site Aug. 13–17
When the bikes go rumbling by during this summer's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, more of them may be choosing to stop here than have in the past thanks to a national attraction that will grace the 4-Way Stop for the second half of Rally Week.
Newcastle has been selected to host the Moving Vietnam Wall from Aug. 13-17, aligning the nationally recognized memorial’s appearance with the height of the annual Rally and positioning the community as a destination for veterans and visitors traveling through the Black Hills.
The wall will be erected at the high-visibility intersection of U.S. Highways 16 and 85 — the proposed site of the permanent Newcastle Veterans Memorial — placing one of the summer’s most significant attractions squarely in the path of thousands of Rally attendees.
The Newcastle Wyoming Veterans Memorial Committee is sponsoring and managing the event, led by Project Coordinator Kathy Levasseur.
“We are beyond excited to bring such a powerful and patriotic display to Newcastle during the Rally,” Levasseur said. “This is about honoring our Vietnam veterans and all who have served, but it’s also about showing visitors that Newcastle is serious about remembering, respecting and investing in our veterans. We believe this will raise tremendous awareness and help generate the support and donations needed to make our permanent memorial a reality.”
The appearance of the Moving Vietnam Wall is being funded in part by a $10,000 award from the Wyoming Semiquincentennial Grant Program. The program, supported by a $2 million legislative appropriation, was created to help communities recognize Wyoming’s role in American history during the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
In announcing the eighth and final round of grant recipients on Jan. 15, the Wyoming Semiquincentennial Planning Task Force included the Veterans Memorial Committee in Newcastle for hosting the Moving Vietnam War Memorial. According to the governor’s office release, “Newcastle and Weston County plan to host the Traveling Vietnam War Memorial in summer 2026 at the high-visibility intersection of U.S. Highways 16 and 85, honoring Wyoming veterans whose service exemplifies the ideals commemorated during the nation’s 250th anniversary.”
The cost to bring the Wall to Newcastle is $8,000. The remaining $2,000 from the state grant will help offset expenses associated with setup, housing the Wall’s caretaker and other related logistical needs.
The Weston County Travel Commission has also awarded the committee $3,000 to market the event and ensure that Rally attendees know the memorial will be in Newcastle during their time in the region.
Levasseur credited NLJ Publisher Bob Bonnar with writing the successful grant applications for both the Wall and the Semiquincentennial funding. Bonnar will also spearhead marketing efforts for the event.
“This has been a team effort from day one,” Levasseur said. “Bob did a tremendous job securing the grant funding, and now we’ll work side by side with community members, businesses and organizations to make sure Newcastle is ready to welcome visitors and maximize this opportunity.”
Local government leaders quickly embraced the announcement.
The Weston County commissioners agreed to serve as the governmental sponsor for the Semiquincentennial grant at their Dec. 2 meeting and formalized that support by signing a resolution on Dec. 16. The group was pleased when Levasseur announced that the grant had been received at their Jan. 20 meeting.
“It’s pretty cool,” Commission Chairman Nathan Todd said.
When Levasseur shared the news with the Newcastle City Council later that day, Mayor Tyrel Owens agreed to declare 2026 the Year of the Veteran in Newcastle and read a proclamation at the council’s Feb. 2 meeting making the designation official.
“It’s going to be a great thing for Newcastle,” Owens said.
The Wall’s location is being made possible through the partnership of Pinnacle Bank, which has committed the site for the permanent Newcastle Veterans Memorial and will also host the temporary Moving Wall display.
Pinnacle Bank Regional President Justin Tystad said the bank is proud to play a role in both projects.
“We are pleased to provide the location for the permanent memorial and to host the Moving Vietnam Wall,” Tystad said. “This is an important effort for our community. The awareness generated by bringing the Wall to Newcastle during the Rally should definitely help us move the permanent memorial forward.”
The Moving Vietnam Wall is a scaled replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and carries the names of more than 58,000 service members who died or remain missing from the conflict. Its appearance in Newcastle during one of the largest annual motorcycle gatherings in the nation is expected to draw significant regional and out-of-state attention.
For the Veterans Memorial Committee, the event represents both a solemn tribute and a strategic milestone.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” Levasseur said. “We will have thousands of people already traveling through our community. To be able to offer them a meaningful place to reflect, remember and honor veterans — right here in Newcastle — is something we don’t take lightly.”
Community members, veterans organizations and volunteers will be invited to participate in planning, setup and programming around the five-day display. Additional details on ceremonies and related events will be announced in the coming months.
Anyone interested in volunteering, donating or learning more about the Moving Vietnam Wall or the permanent Newcastle Veterans Memorial project may contact Kathy Levasseur at 307-292-0632 or Bob Bonnar at 307-746-8726.