Flag Day Party Ideas

Flag Day is June 14. It’s not a traditional party day but it’s a great day to honor the flag, remember what being American means and maybe have a parade! Plan a party for your neighborhood and you'll be the talk of the town! This patriotic theme party can work for any of the patriotic holidays. It makes a great July 4th party theme and it is also is very good for a Memorial Day party . So, get your neighbors together, grab a flag, break out the bunting and celebrate this patriotic holiday!

The History of Flag Day
The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'.

Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter the day be known as 'Flag Day'. It would be a day where school children would be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag.

Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning: "I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself." Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

Flag Day Party Invitations
Start out with a great invitation! We’re partial to a personalized patriotic invitation with a flag theme. For a block party, you can always print up your own invitations and send them around the neighborhood by putting them in everyone's mailboxes.

Get the kids involved: Get together with your kids and make invitations using red, white and blue construction paper and a stars and stripes theme. (This is a party that will have kids attending so a whimsical, kid designed invitation makes sense.)

Since this party is for the neighborhood, talk to your neighbors, get a permit to block off the street and have a big pot-luck dinner. You may want to note on your invitation who should bring main courses, sides, desserts, etc.

Patriotic Decorations and Party Supplies
Make sure everyone on the block puts out the American flag (first things first, after all). Flag bunting is a great decoration that can be hung from porches or on picnic tables.

A neighborhood celebration may need a central meeting place. Set up tables and chairs and ask people to bring blankets and extra folding chairs to sit on during the party. Put more American flags (on posts) in the ground around the tables and use personalized patriotic banners to create a festive atmosphere.

Flag Day Table decorations and Menu
Serve dinner on patriotic tableware. There are matching flag paper plates, cups, napkins, table covers and more! (Don't forget table clips to keep your table covers from flying away.)

Balloon bouquets on food tables at a party outside could fly around and bop everyone in the head, so choose a festive patriotic centerpiece that won't fly all over the place!

Since this is a pot luck, ask people to bring larger servings of their food and tell them to think patriotic! Burgers, chicken and hot dogs are great options for your main course. Veggies, coleslaw and potato salad, potato chips and pretzels are good sides. For dessert, cookies, Apple pie and popsicle are always a hit! (This sounds really good - will you invite me to your party?)

Flag Day Party Games and Activities
Get your neighborhood together to "pause for the pledge." Believe it or not, and it's obviously a well-kept secret, Flag Day is held simultaneously across the country at 7 p.m. EDT. It is nationally recognized as part of National Flag Day ceremonies and was created so we—all Americans--can share a patriotic moment. So, get with it!

Give the little kids supplies to decorate their bikes for a "Flag Day" parade. Have the kids decorate their bikes and wagons with crepe paper.

Arrange a good old-fashioned day in the park (except this is on your block) with sack races, relays and more. Have some of the neighborhood teenagers lead the games. Festoon (love that word) your neighborhood with patriotic balloons. Here are some fun games you can set up at the party:

• Face painting
• Clown bean bag toss
• Can toss game
• Duck fishing game (get a few extra duck pond floaters)

Flag Day Party Favors
Give everyone a personalized candy bar and a flag pin. Or here are some other fun favors to consider passing out to your friends and family:

• Personalized mint and candy tins
• American flags
• Bubbles
• Patriotic Flag Necklaces
• Glow Sticks

So this June 14, it's time to party. And do you know what else? There are two reasons to celebrate. Boy George was born on June 14 as well. Hmmm. Let's stick to Flag Day, okay? Have fun. The Party Girl