Best Ways to Celebrate Flag Day

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Flag day etiquette and fun activities for work, home, or school

Co-authored by Stefanie Chu-Leong and Amber Crain

Last Updated: October 19, 2024 Fact Checked

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Displaying the Flag

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Honoring the Meaning of Flag Day

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Patriotic Activities to Celebrate Flag Day

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What is Flag Day?

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Q&A

Flag Day takes place every year on June 14, in honor of the adoption of the American flag in 1777. Flag Day is a non-federal holiday in the United States that honors the history and meaning of the American Flag. To celebrate Flag Day, get a high-quality American flag and display it in a prominent location outside of your home. Raise the flag at sunrise and lower it at sunset to adhere to the U.S. Flag Code. For more fun ideas and educational ideas for celebrating Flag Day, read on!

Flag Day Celebration Ideas

The best way to celebrate Flag Day is to display a high-quality American flag in a visible area so others can easily see it. You can also attend a local Flag Day parade or flag-raising ceremony, host an outdoor BBQ for friends and family, or bring patriotic snacks like red, white, and blue frosted cupcakes to work.

Section 1 of 4:

Displaying the Flag

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1
Get an American flag that fulfills the requirements in the Flag Code. Purchase an American flag with all 50 stars and 13 alternating red and white stripes. The flag cannot be oddly shaped, damaged, or discolored. However, it can be any size so long it is rectangular and immediately recognizable as the flag. Purchase a flag online or from a local flag and banner company.^{[1]
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- The point of Flag Day is to honor the history and meaning of the American flag. Get an American-made flag and hang it together to make this a family event.
- The Flag Code refers to the set of federal regulations that govern how the American flag should be displayed, stored, and hung. You can find it online at https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/8.
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Choose a prominent location to hang the flag so it's highly visible. To commemorate Flag Day, hang your flag outdoors so that others can see it. If you have a free-standing flag pole, place it in your front yard or near your driveway so that it can be easily seen by people walking or driving by. Hang the flag on a vertical pole or on a staff leading away from your home.^{[2]
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- Make sure there are no structures, limbs, or bushes touching the flag and display it in a bright location without any shade.
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Place the American flag above any other flags that you’re displaying. If you have another flag for your county, state, or city, lower it so that the American flag is higher. There should never be any flag flying higher than the American flag, especially on Flag Day. If you’re hoisting the flag alongside another country’s flag, place them so that they’re equally high in the air and put the American flag on the right.^{[3]
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- If you’re displaying more than 2 flags, hang the American flag in the center of the other flags.
- Try to avoid hanging more than 1 flag on a single pole on Flag Day. If you do decide to hang more than 1 flag, put the American Flag on top.
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Hang your flag by attaching the clips to the grommets and raising it. The grommets refer to the rings that are embedded in your flag. On a flag pole, use the snap hooks to attach the 2-3 grommets in your flag. Then, slowly pull the back rope down to raise your flag. Wrap the excess rope around the cleat in a figure-8 pattern before tucking it under itself to secure the flag at the top.^{[4]
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- If you’re hanging your flag off of your home, get an American flag with a mounting rod and simply slide it into the bracket on your porch or home. You can buy a flag pole bracket online or at a construction supply store and drill it into your porch post or siding.
- If you’re hanging your flag vertically, display it wherever you’d like so long as the fabric doesn’t brush against anything else. Hang it with the blue and white stars in the top left.
- Try to avoid letting your flag touch the ground while you unfold it and hang it.
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Raise the flag during sunrise and lower it at sunset. On Flag Day, raise the flag as the sun is rising and lower it when the sun is going down. If you want to display the flag through the night, illuminate it by putting a flood light underneath it. The flag should never be covered by shadows or shade, and it should be fully visible at all times.^{[5]
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- Make sure to fold an American flag properly if you decide to take it down after Flag Day.
Tip: If you’re hanging the flag with your family, say the pledge of allegiance together or have a moment of silence to honor the soldiers that died for their country as you’re putting it up and taking it down.

Section 2 of 4:

Honoring the Meaning of Flag Day

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1
Discuss the meaning of the American flag with your family. Flag Day is the perfect occasion to discuss the values and history of the United States. If you have children, ask them what they know about the flag. Point out that the stars represent the states and have a short discussion about the importance of the individual states. Explain that the stripes represent the original 13 colonies. Talking about the origins of the flag is a great way to appreciate what the flag actually represents.^{[6]
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- Ask your children if they know about Betsy Ross, the woman credited with creating the first American flag. If they don't, teach them who she was. Other relevant historical topics include the American Revolution and the Civil War.
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Go to a veteran’s memorial to honor the fallen. Visit a local memorial to honor the sacrifices made by the soldiers who served in the U.S. military. Take your family or go alone. A memorial is a great place for some quiet reflection and it’s a phenomenal way to pay your respects on Flag Day.^{[7]
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- While Flag Day isn’t explicitly designed to honor the military or veterans, Flag Day parades and celebrations often honor fallen soldiers who fought under the flag.
- Flag Day is the same date as the Army’s birthday! The United States military was officially founded on June 14, 1775.^{[8]
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Flag-raising ceremonies are official events where soldiers, ROTC members, or veteran organizations hang the flag in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code. They’re often accompanied by guest speakers, music, or a small ceremony of some kind. Look online to find a flag-raising ceremony near you and attend with your family.^{[9]
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Tip: Flag raising ceremonies are always free, although you may be asked to make a donation to the organizing group.
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Visit a history museum to learn more about the United States. Flag Day isn’t a federal holiday, which means that most businesses that are normally open will still be available to the public. Take your family to your local history museum and view the exhibits. Talk to your family about the amazing history of the country and encourage them to explore the museum. This is a great way to honor the spirit of Flag Day and learn more about the United States.^{[10]
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- Flag Day often falls on a Sunday. Look online to see if your local museum will be open on Flag Day.

Section 3 of 4:

Patriotic Activities to Celebrate Flag Day

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1
Attend a local Flag Day parade to celebrate as a community. Depending on where you live, there may be a Flag Day parade. Grab some snacks or visit a local restaurant before heading out to the street to watch the parade. If there isn’t a Flag Day parade in your town, look online to find a parade in a neighboring town or city to make a day trip out of it!^{[11]
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- If you’re involved in any social clubs or volunteer organizations, contact the group that is organizing the parade to find out about how you can participate!
Tip: If you’re in the mood to travel, the largest Flag Day parade is hosted in Troy, New York every year. It often attracts more than 50,000 people from all over the country.^{[12]
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Host a dinner at your home for close friends and family. A simple dinner party is a great way to quietly celebrate with your loved ones. Invite people over to your home and either cook dinner or host a potluck where everyone brings something to share. Enjoy the party and engage in some quality family time.^{[13]
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- Consider serving a classic American dinner by serving a meat entrée alongside potatoes, pasta, or salad.
- Flag Day is June 14th. If it’s nice out, consider hosting a barbeque instead.
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Throw a block party to enjoy the holiday with your neighbors. If folks in your area aren’t big on celebrating Flag Day, consider throwing a block party on your street to bring the neighborhood together. Submit an application to your local government to host a block party and pay the required fee to secure your permit. On Flag Day, set out a tent and hang a few American flags to set the tone for your block party.^{[14]
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- You can usually apply for a block party online at your local city’s website.
- Go around to every house on the street and ask if people would be interested in a Flag Day block party. If enough people are interested, ask everyone to bring something to eat or drink. If people don’t seem that excited by the idea, consider throwing a smaller party for your friends and family instead.
If you'd like to celebrate Flag Day at work, bring any treats that are red, white, and blue and share them with your coworkers. You could make cupcakes with red, white, and blue frosting, or bake a cake and decorate it like the American flag.
If you're a teacher, holding an essay contest is a great way to get students to think more deeply about the American flag. The prize for the essay contest can be anything you want, just be sure to pick something fun so your students get excited about it! Pair this writing activity with a short lesson about the origin, symbolism, and history of the flag.

Section 4 of 4:

What is Flag Day?

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Flag Day is an annual United States holiday that honors the national flag. The holiday takes place on June 14th to commemorate the date when the Continental Congress officially approved the design of the United States flag—June 14, 1777. President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation in 1916 to establish Flag Day as a national observance.^{[15]
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- Flag Day was officially signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949 and congressional legislation was issued for the president to give a flag day proclamation every year on June 14th.^{[16]
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  Library of Congress
  Official library of the U.S. and main research institution for Congress and the American public
  
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- Flag day isn't an official federal holiday (so businesses are still open), but all Americans are encouraged to fly U.S. flags during the week of June 14th in observance of this special date.^{[17]
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  U.S. General Services Administration
  Independent U.S. government agency designed to support the basic functioning of the U.S. federal government.
  
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- Other popular Flag Day celebrations include parades, essay contests, ceremonies, and picnics sponsored by veterans groups and schools.

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Am I supposed to wear red, white, and blue on Flag Day?

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You can if you want to, just like on U.S. Independence Day. It can add a festive touch, but you don't need to wear anything special to celebrate.

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How do we retire flags on Flag Day?

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Check this wikiHow article for tips on how to Retire a U.S. Flag.

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How many people celebrate this day?

Galasy4969

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It is one of the lesser recognized holidays. There are no recorded numbers in terms of participation.

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Banks, schools, and other places of business are all open on Flag Day because it's not a national holiday.

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Many cities and towns don’t hold any official festivities. You can host your own and start a local tradition!

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