06/17/2026
National Flag Week in 2026 takes place from June 14 to June 20. It is an annual, week-long civic observance that always kicks off on Flag Day (June 14 every year), which, this year, is Sunday, June 14.
It is a day for all Americans to celebrate and honor the flag, its designers, and its makers. The flag represents all the 50 states of the country that together form the United States of America and its citizens. It is a week for citizens to pause and recognize the greatness of their nation and its people. The American flag has a proud and glorious history, and many brave soldiers have died defending it. Some also observe this week as a way to honor veterans and servicemen.
Key Details & Meaning
Core Focus: The week commemorates the Continental Congress's adoption of the official U.S. flag design on June 14, 1777.
Flag Display: Throughout the week, the U.S. President issues a proclamation urging all Americans to proudly display the flag outside their homes and businesses, and the flag is flown on all government buildings.
Holiday Status: Neither National Flag Week nor Flag Day is a federal public holiday, so businesses operate on their normal schedules.
Etiquette: Standard flag etiquette applies, requiring the U.S. flag to be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.
The first American flag was designed in 1775 and was called the Continental Colors. This was a flag created for a nation looking forward to its independence. But, unfortunately, the flag looked very similar to the British flag. Francis Hopkinson of New Jersey, a naval flag designer, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence took it upon himself to design a new flag. So, on June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution stating that the flag of the United States of America will have13 stripes, alternating in red and white, while the union of the states would be depicted by 13 stars in a blue field, representing a new constellation. In 1960, the 50-star flag came into being and this is the version of the flag that we see today. On July 4, 2006, it became the longest version of the flag in use.
