It's Flag Day! Here's how to display your flag

ByDon Schwenneker WLS logo
The dos and don'ts for flying your American Flag
If you're planning on flying your American flag, there is a flag code you should follow.

June 14 is Flag Day! Here are a few reminders on how to display your flag correctly.

The United States celebrates Flag Day to mark the adoption of the American flag by the Continental Congress in the First Flag Act passed on June 14, 1777.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation officially establishing June 14 as Flag Day. Even so, Flag Day was never formally established as a federal holiday, so businesses remain open.

If you're displaying a flag, here are a couple of things to remember:

  • Traditional guidelines call for displaying the flag in public only between sunrise and sunset.

  • If you decide to keep the flag raised after sunset, you should shine a light on it. Floodlights with dusk-to-dawn timers and LED spotlights are good options if you're looking to conserve energy.

  • According to the Veteran's Administration, the flag should not be displayed during rain, snow and wind storms, unless it is an all-weather flag. If a storm is coming, try to take it down so it doesn't get ripped off of your home.

  • It should be raised briskly and lowered ceremoniously.

  • And, of course, Flag Day is just a precursor to Independence Day, so you should be all squared away when July 4 rolls around in a couple of weeks!
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