Memorial Day May 25; Veterans Affairs Participates in Community Events

Monroe County offices will be closed in observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, 2026. Monroe County’s Veterans Affairs Department and the City of Key West will co-host the Memorial Day wreath service at the Key West Veterans Memorial Garden at Bayview Park. Monroe County Veterans Affairs will also co-host a ceremony at the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo with VFW Post 10211.

Ceremonies in the Florida Keys include:

• Key West Cemetery – USS Maine Memorial, Winslow Plot, Key West – 9 a.m.

• Key West Veterans Memorial Garden – Bayview Park, Key West – 10 a.m.

• Southernmost Cemetery – Big Coppitt Key – 11 a.m.

• Islamorada Hurricane Monument – 9 a.m.

• Murray Nelson Government Center – 11 a.m. 

• Big Pine Key Community Park – “Murph” workout – 9 a.m.

Monroe County Veterans Affairs, Monroe County Fire Rescue, and Monroe County Parks and Beaches will host a “Murph” workout at Big Pine Key Community Park on Memorial Day. Registration starts at 8:15 a.m. with the workout beginning at 9 a.m. The event honors the legacy of Michael P. Murphy, who died in Afghanistan in 2005. All fitness levels are welcome. The event is free, and a participant waiver is required.

“Memorial Day is a time for our community to come together in remembrance and gratitude,” said Monroe County Community Services Director Cathy Crane. “We encourage residents and visitors to participate in these ceremonies and reflect on the sacrifices made by those who gave their lives in service to our nation.”

Memorial Day is traced back to the end of the American Civil War and was known as Decoration Day, a day when graves of fallen soldiers were decorated in memory of their service. In 1971, Congress designated Memorial Day as a national holiday on the last Monday in May to honor those who died while serving in the military.