HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Hillsborough County is preparing to mark its 29th annual Memorial Day Observance on Sunday, May 24, at Veterans Memorial Park. The ceremony, scheduled for 10 a.m., aims to shift the focus from the holiday weekend’s festivities back to the service members who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Located at the Rear Admiral Collins, Jr. Veterans Museum on U.S. Highway 301, the event is a joint effort between Hillsborough County Veteran Community Services and the local Veterans Council.
This year’s program carries a heavy emphasis on local impact, featuring the “Garden of Gold” flag installation. This display personalized the tribute by showing the faces and service branches of local residents who died in service, specifically highlighting the families left behind.
Organizers noted that the event will also include specific remembrances for those lost during Operation Epic Fury. Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John Gronski and Command Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Ottenwess of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base are slated to speak.
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The ceremony will follow traditional military protocols, including a rifle salute, the playing of taps, and participation from local JROTC units.
While the day is often viewed as the unofficial start of summer, members of the Veterans Council emphasize that the timing is particularly poignant for Gold Star Families.
“Recent and ongoing operations overseas make the upcoming holiday a sensitive time for the military community,” the organization stated, asking that citizens take time to reflect on the lives lost in national service.
Beyond the formal ceremony in the outdoor amphitheater, the park will host resource tables for veterans and military families, followed by a period of refreshments and fellowship.
Veterans Memorial Park remains open to the public daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no charge for admission or parking. For those seeking more details on the ceremony or the Garden of Gold display, the county’s veteran services office is available at (813) 635-8316.
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