City of Jacksonville plans to go virtual for annual Memorial Day observance

The City of Jacksonville is making a big change in the annual observance for Memorial Day.

This year’s event will be hosted virtually amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“It will look very similar to those who have been to our past events,” says Bill Spann, the director of the Military Affairs and Veterans Department for the City of Jacksonville.

He says the only thing that will change is the point of reference.

The digital observance will have remarks from Mayor Lenny Curry as well as other local officials and members of the military community. The even will also have music from the Jacksonville Voices, Jacksonville Pipes & Drums and Navy Band Southeast.

Filming took place at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Wall near TIAA Bank Field. The wall is the largest black granite memorial wall outside of Washington, D.C. and the only wall honoring all six military branches, according to the City.

“It was a little bit of a technical challenge but nothing our team couldn’t rise to,” Spann says.

He says organizers made sure performers practiced proper social distancing with the health of everyone involved a top priority. Spann says this year there won’t be any new names added to the wall.

“It’s just a coincidence,” Spann says. “It just happened that way.”

We will be airing the event Monday morning at 9 a.m. on 104.5 FM or in the free WOKV app.