Batavia Painting Town Red, White and Blue For Flag Day 2017

Batavia Painting Town Red, White and Blue For Flag Day 2017

The city of Batavia is doing something special this year to celebrate Flag Day 2017 — painting the town red, white and blue.

Not literally painting, but people throughout the city are dressing up their yards with flags to commemorate the 101st anniversary of Flag Day, whose creator has roots in Batavia and in Aurora.

Dr. Bernard Cigrand is coined the “Father of Flag Day” for all his efforts to create this designation. Cigrand moved to Batavia in 1912, when he opened a dental practice in his home on South Batavia Avenue. He petitioned for a National Flag Day observance, and on June 14, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation calling for a nationwide observance of Flag Day.

Flag Day is always on June 14. This year, it falls on a Wednesday.

But the city of Batavia has been celebrating for weeks now with a competition to identify the most patriotically decorated homes.

The city’s first-ever “Paint the Town” competition allows you to vote by “liking” your favorite property on Facebook! There are 11 packages of photos on the page right now, and they are amazing.

Categories to be judged:

  • Most patriotic (best use of red, white and blue colors and flags)
  • Most unique (creative and unusual; one of a kind)
  • Best Use of Lights (nighttime patriotic displays)
  • Most historical (ties in with Dr. Cigrand and his role as the Father of Flag Day)
  • Best use of plants/florals (all natural decorations in the patriotic colors)
  • Best “Batavia” display (honors Batavia as well as Flag Day)
  • Town Favorite (Online Facebook Voting)

Winners will be announced June 11 at the Flag Day Ice Cream Social at the Peg Bond Center on the Batavia Riverwalk. Proceeds from the event help pay for the Batavia Fourth of July Fireworks show.

SOURCE: Batavia Flag Day Facebook page