Fort Walton Beach announces Veterans Day ceremony and city closures as city prepares to honor more than 2,000 fallen veterans on Nov. 11
Fort Walton Beach, Florida – Fort Walton Beach will mark Veterans Day with flags at more than 2,000 veterans’ graves and a community ceremony at Beal Memorial Cemetery. Residents attending can bring a small bouquet to help build a shared tribute to those buried there.
The observance falls on Wednesday, Nov. 11, when city offices and facilities will close for the holiday. Several services will continue, however, including regular trash collection and emergency response.
Activities at the cemetery will begin at 8 a.m., three hours before the ceremony. Cadets from Fort Walton Beach High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC program will place a flag at the gravesite of each veteran laid to rest there. More than 2,000 veterans are buried at Beal Memorial Cemetery, giving the morning’s work a scope that reaches well beyond the formal gathering.
The Veterans Day ceremony will start at 11 a.m. at the cemetery, located at 316 Beal Parkway NW. Fort Walton Beach High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC program is hosting the event.
Col. Mark Hamilton, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, will serve as the guest speaker. Those attending are encouraged to contribute a small bouquet to the Community Wreath, which will honor the veterans buried at the cemetery.
The invitation gives guests a way to take part in the remembrance by adding their flowers to the shared wreath.
Organizers have also identified an indoor location if bad weather prevents the ceremony from taking place at the cemetery. In that case, the event will move to American Legion Rogers-Hinson Post 235 at 105 Hollywood Boulevard NW. Anyone seeking more information about the observance can contact Veterans Tribute Tower Committee Chair Tom Rice at 850-302-0266.
Elsewhere in the city, the holiday closure will have exceptions. The Fort Walton Beach Golf Club will remain open during its normal operating hours, and residential and commercial trash collection will follow the usual schedule. Customers do not need to adjust their collection plans for Veterans Day.
Emergency response from the Fort Walton Beach Police Department and Fort Walton Beach Fire Department will continue without change. Residents should dial 911 in an emergency.
For a water or sewer emergency after hours, the city directs residents to call the Police Department Communications Office at 850-833-9546.
The Wednesday schedule pairs a pause in city office operations with continued essential services and a morning devoted to remembrance. At Beal Memorial Cemetery, that remembrance will begin with individual flags before the community gathers for the 11 a.m. tribute.
