Flag Flying Holidays 2023 & Half Mast instructions

The American Flag can be displayed proudly every day of the year. It’s especially fitting to fly the flag on the following holidays.
Select a holiday to find out more about it. Note that every number of star flag is a valid USA Flag therefore you may fly a Betsy Ross or 48 Star American Flag any day of the year.

How to fly a flag at half mast.

Fly the U.S. flag at half-staff sunrise until sunset 12/07/2021. For U.S. flags displayed on a short staff or for indoor flags that cannot be lowered to half-staff, place a Black Mourning Ribbon above the full staffed U.S. flag.
With a telescoping pole it is acceptable to put the U.S. flag on the second set of rings instead of the top set. In this case the top set would be left empty.
When the United States flag is flown at half-staff, state & other flags should be removed or flown at half-staff as well.

The correct procedure for displaying the flag at half-staff is to raise the flag to the top of the pole briskly, pause for a moment, and then slowly bring it down to where the top of the flag is at a position approximately halfway between the top and bottom of the pole. At the end of the day, the flag should be raised briskly to the top of the pole, then lowered slowly and ceremoniously retired for the day (unless illuminated at night).
If you need a new or replacement American Flag, we offer a complete line of American Flags in stock for immediate shipment.

What if I can’t lower my flag?

If you cannot lower a flag then a mourning ribbon can be placed on the American flag.

American flags traditionally fly at half-staff as a symbol of mourning, but there are circumstances where this is inappropriate. When the length of a flagpole, the permanent attachment of a flag to a staff, or the existence of obstructions such as shrubbery or a balcony make it difficult to half staff, attaching black ribbons above a flag is an alternate mode of expressing mourning. A ribbon twice the flag length and no more than 10% the flag width should be tied in a bow above the flag and below the finial, such that the two resulting streamers correspond roughly to the flag length (see image below).

Streamer Black Mourning Ribbon — If you can’t lower your flag a ribbon the length of the flag of black color is appropriate.

Buy American flag here

Flag Flying Holidays 2022

Holiday	2023	Flag at Half Staff	Occurrence
NEW YEAR’S DAY	January 1		January 1
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY	January 24		Third Monday in January
INAUGURATION DAY	N/A		(January 20th every 4 years)
LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY	February 12		February 12
PRESIDENTS’ DAY (WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY)	February 21		Third Monday in February
EASTER SUNDAY	April 17		Variable linsolar date
V-E DAY	May 8		May 8
MOTHER’S DAY	May 8		Second Sunday in May
PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY	May 15	Yes, all day	May 15
ARMED FORCES DAY	May 21		Third Saturday in May
MEMORIAL DAY	May 30	Yes, until noon	Last Monday in May
FLAG DAY	June 14		June 14
FATHER’S DAY	June 19		Third Sunday in June
INDEPENDENCE DAY	July 4		July 4
V-J DAY	August 10		Second Monday in August
LABOR DAY	September 5		First Monday in September
PATRIOT DAY	September 11	Yes, all day	September 11
CONSTITUTION DAY	September 17		September 17
COLUMBUS DAY	October 9		Second Monday in October
ELECTION DAY	N/A		(Tuesday after first Monday in November)
VETERANS DAY	November 11		November 11
THANKSGIVING DAY	November 23		Fourth Thursday in November
PEARL HARBOR DAY	December 7	Yes, all day	December 7
CHRISTMAS DAY	December 25		December 25

Perpetual Flag Flying holiday chart.

Flag Holidays
Holiday	Date of Holiday	Full Staff	Half Staff (sunrise to sunset)	Half Staff (until noon)
New Year’s Day	January 1st	✔
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day	3rd Monday in January	✔
Inauguration Day	January 20th	✔
Lincoln’s Birthday	February 12th	✔
Washington’s Birthday	3rd Monday in February	✔
Easter	Date varies yearly	✔
Mother’s Day	2nd Sunday in May	✔
Peace Officers Memorial Day	May 15th		✔
Armed Forces Day	3rd Saturday in May	✔
Memorial Day	Last Monday in May			✔
Flag Day	June 14th	✔
Father’s Day	3rd Sunday in June	✔
Independence Day	July 4th	✔
Korean War Veterans Day	July 27th	✔
Labor Day	1st Monday in September	✔
Patriot Day	September 11th		✔
Constitution Day	September 17th	✔
Gold Star Mother’s Day	Last Sunday in September	✔
Fire Fighters Memorial Day	The Sunday before or on October 9th	✔
Columbus Day	2nd Monday in October	✔
Navy Day	October 27th	✔
Veteran’s Day	November 11th	✔
Thanksgiving Day	4th Thursday in November	✔
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day	December 7th		✔
Christmas Day	December 25th	✔
State Birthdays & Holidays	Dates varies state to state	✔
All Election Days	Various Dates	✔