Tampa Bay residents can choose from a menu of events to honor America’s fallen.

TAMPA BAY – Memorial Day is, of course, a time to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

Here are three events that today (May 29, 2017) honor our veterans and their families.

Seminole

The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System will commemorate Memorial Day with a 10 a.m. ceremony. The event will take place at the Bay Pines National Cemetery located at 10,000 Bay Pines Blvd.

This is the only National Cemetery in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and the largest observance of Memorial Day with more than 4,000 expected attendees. Veterans, their families and friends, and the general public are invited to attend.

Keynote speaker for the event will be U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Edward W. Sandlin, Commander, Air Station Clearwater. Other speakers include U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, and local VA leaders from the Bay Pines VAHCS, St. Petersburg VA Regional Office and Bay Pines National Cemetery. The master of ceremonies will be Fox 13 anchor and reporter Alcides Segui. The ceremony will also feature musical performances by the 60-piece Suncoast Symphony Orchestra and traditional military tributes.

Vietnam Veterans who attend the ceremony may receive a commemorative lapel pin and other items as part of the Bay Pines VAHCS’s continued commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.

Parking for the ceremony will be available nearby. Shuttles will provide transportation for guests from parking lots to the National. The venue is handicapped accessible. A sign language interpreter will be available for the hearing impaired. The ceremony will be held rain or shine

Largo

Join the city of Largo in honoring those who have lost their lives while fighting for our country. Largo’s 2017 Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. in Largo Central Park’s Military Court of Honor. This evening will include a color guard presentation, music and a wreath presentation in remembrance of our fallen soldiers.

This event is free and open to the public. Largo Central Park is located at 101 Central Park Drive.

Tampa

Tampa is one of two cities in Florida and multiple cities across the country holding a Carry the Load march to honor service members and their families for the sacrifices they make.

The 5K march down Bayshore Boulevard will include military/fire/police units, veteran organizations, Girl and Boy Scout units, ROTC/JROTC units, elected officials, the general public and a team of AT&T employees and AT&T Pioneers. Participants are encouraged to carry an item — a rucksack, memento or picture — that is symbolic of the personal story or load the individual is carrying.

Registration for Tampa’s Carry the Load march begins at 8 a.m. at Ferg’s Live Downtown, 490 Channelside Drive. The march steps off at 9 a.m. After the march, participants will be invited to share their individual stories. A memorial rally is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a live band, cornhole tournament and prizes.

Memorial Day | Bay Pines | National Cemetery | Carry the Load | Tampa Bay News | TB Reporter

#MemorialDay #BayPines #NationalCemetery #CarrytheLoad #TampaBayNews #TBReporter