Nearly 7,000 people, including survivors and volunteers from across the country, participated in the Relay For Life Celebration on the Hill. They represented the 450,000 survivors and volunteers anticipated to participate in Relay events nationwide throughout the year.

Fifty white tents with purple banners bearing the name of each state were set up at the end of the National Mall near the Washington Monument. Ambassadors met with members of Congress to lobby for awareness and funding for cancer research.

At dusk, 15,000 luminaria were lit all around the Reflecting Pool in a special ceremony. Thousands sat around the edge of the Reflecting Pool, stood in front of their luminaria during the ceremony as bagpipers played and a prayer was sung in English and Italian.