Bay County Memorial Day 2025: Services, Ceremonies, and the History of the Red Poppy

BAY COUNTY, FL – Bay County will honor its fallen heroes with a series of Memorial Day services on Friday, May 23, 2025, ahead of Memorial Day on Monday, May 26, 2025. The Bay County Commission and the Bay County Veteran’s Council will host a Memorial Day Observance at 10 a.m. at Kent-Forest Lawn Cemetery in Panama City. Simultaneously, the Clifford Chester Sims Veterans' Nursing Home will hold a service at 10 a.m. at 4419 Tram Rd., Panama City, FL 32404, paying tribute to veterans in a meaningful setting.

Later, at 1 p.m., Panama City Beach will host a Memorial Day ceremony at Veteran’s Memorial, featuring a brief service and a wreath-laying. The Arnold High School JROTC color guard will present the colors, adding a touch of pride to the event. Sponsored by VFW Post 10555 and American Legion Post 420, this ceremony invites the community to reflect on the sacrifices of those who served. American Legion Post 392 encourages attendees to share their experiences on their Facebook page.

A key symbol of these observances is the red poppy, a tradition rooted in World War I. Karen Azzaro, Bay County VA Council Representative, explains its significance on Facebook: poppies flourished on the Western Front’s battle-scarred fields, inspiring Canadian doctor John McCrae to write the 1915 poem “In Flanders Fields”, first published in “Punch” magazine. The flower became a global symbol of remembrance after American humanitarian Moina Michael, inspired by the poem, began wearing a red poppy in 1918 to honor war veterans. She later championed selling silk poppies to support disabled servicemen, a practice adopted internationally by 1921.

The poppy’s legacy endures—red poppies honor those who died in all wars, white poppies symbolize peace, and purple poppies commemorate animals lost in conflict. 

Azzaro reminds everyone to wear a red poppy on May 23 and Memorial Day, May 26, as a tribute to veterans’ sacrifices. These Bay County events offer an opportunity to reflect on freedom’s cost and honor those who gave their all.