Seminole War Commemoration
18th Annual Parade and Commemoration of the 2nd Seminole War.
The information below is from the 17th Annual 2nd Seminole War Commemoration in 2024. We will update with event details for 2025 as they are confirmed.
The Florida National Guard Foundation and the West Point Society of North Florida host the 18th annual commemoration of the end of the 2nd Seminole War in St. Augustine on Saturday, August 16, 2025, from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. The event features a parade and ceremony at the National Cemetery pyramids, both of which are open to the public, to honor those who perished in the conflict.
The parade to the Dade Monument at the National Cemetery begins at 10:15 a.m., and the commemoration ceremony takes place at 10:45 a.m. Historical re-enactors in period costumes participate in the parade, and the public is welcome to join them. This year's event features a reproduction caisson and cannon, period musicians, a musket volley, and participation by members of the Florida Masonic Lodges as they represent their attendance in the 1842 event.
Historical Context: In 1842, officers, soldiers, and musicians paraded through the streets of St. Augustine to inter the war casualties in the gardens of the St. Francis Barracks. Three coquina pyramids were erected in the cemetery at that time to mark the burial place of more than 1,400 soldiers who died during those wars. These pyramids are known as the Dade Monument after Major Francis L. Dade, a leader in the Seminole Wars.
Registered guests are also invited to join historians for a Friday evening social, pre-march coffee gathering, a coin presentation, a staff ride, and a Saturday luncheon. Guests can register for these optional events for $25.00, until all tickets are sold.
Admission: The parade and commemoration ceremony are free and open to the public. Optional events on Friday and Saturday are available for $25.00.
When: Saturday, August 16, 2025 from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Optional event times vary, taking place on both Friday and Saturday.
Where: St. Augustine National Cemetery at 104 Marine Street and the Officers' Club at St. Francis Barracks at 82 Marine Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084.
Parking: Parking is available in the Florida National Guard lot behind St. Francis Barracks at 106 Marine Street.
