This June, the 18th Annual Flag Festival will be in full swing at the Betsy Ross House (239 Arch St.,) and what locals can expect out of this annual weeklong activation is a series of interactive events, free family programming and a finale concert to wrap it all up.
Taking place from June 8 to 14, the experience will actually kick off a little early on the sixth with a special First Friday celebration. From 5 to 8 p.m., locals can head to the venue’s charming outdoor courtyard to check out a live cochineal dyeing demonstration by celebrated artist César Viveros-Herrera, plus, a beer and cocktail garden from Triple Bottom Brewing.
With the demonstration, locals will see a centuries-old technique that shows how extracting rich red dye from cochineal insects connects directly to the methods used in Betsy Ross’s time. Locals might recognize Viveros-Herrera’s work from features at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, UPenn Museum, Fleisher Art Memorial, and more. The Philly artist is known for his murals, ceremonial Aztec performances, and cultural installations across the U.S. and Mexico.
Then Sunday (June 8) marks the start of National Flag Week, hence, the House’s celebration, and on that date, locals can once again catch Viveros-Herrera on-site and throughout the week from 1 to 2:30 p.m. for a hands-on flag-making workshop. While there, guests can help craft a 13-star American flag by using fabric colored with natural dyes made from that cochineal method and indigo.
There’s a way to personalize it as well: According to a release, visitors will be invited to write a word or phrase that reflects what the flag means to them on pieces of fabric to take with them or to leave with the artist. These personal messages left by guests will be stitched together to form the completed flag. The flag will then be unveiled on Friday, June 13, during a celebration with music and live performances.
Throughout the week, activities will start at 10 a.m. with an interactive flag raising, and then different experiences will be peppered throughout each date of the festival.
Philadelphians can partake in the popular Meet the Flag Makers activation from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and each day, guests will have an opportunity to meet 18th-century Philadelphia flag makers (June 9-12), including Margaret Manny, Ann King and Cornelia Bridges, and try their own hands at the craft.
June 10 to the 13 will also hold a Curator’s Corner. From 3 to 4 p.m., local cultural institutions (such as Taller Puertorriqueño and the Mexican Cultural Center) will showcase flags from their collections, exploring the deep symbolism and heritage behind each design.
Flag Fest then concludes with a grand finale on June 14. The Philadelphia Flag Day Association will host a flag retirement ceremony to kick off at 10 a.m., then from noon to 2 p.m. a family-friendly performance of “Betsy Ross Presents: The History of the American Flag,” will run on-site. Audiences will have several opportunities to experience the performance during the afternoon.
The finale of it all will take place at 4 p.m. with “Lift Every Voice: A Flag Day Celebration of American Music.” The performance will feature the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale under the direction of J. Donald Dumpson with a special emphasis on compositions born of the African Diaspora.
This 18th annual celebration pays tribute to the tradition of Flag Day commemorations that began at the Betsy Ross House more than 100 years ago, resuming with the first modern Flag Festival in 2008. The House hosted its first Flag Day event on June 14, 1891 and has long been the site of the city’s official observance.
Visitors can also head to the venue (open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily) for self-guided and audio tours as well ($12-$14). Otherwise, admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children, students, seniors, and military, and free for kids under five. Tickets and more information on Flag Fest and the Betsy Ross House (239 Arch St.) are available online at historicphiladelphia.org
