Ready to show true colours

National Living Flag initiative comes to Charlottetown, July 1

The City of Charlottetown is inviting people of all ages to be part of the national Living Flag initiative.

In four provincial capitals, the national capital and other communities stretched coast to coast, enthusiastic Canadians will be creating Living Flags, comprised of individuals sporting red or white T-shirts and forming the Canadian flag.

This sesquicentennial year, this flag event has grown to include eight communities with anticipated participation of 20,000 Canadians and their guests from around the world.

Anyone interested in taking part on P.E.I. is encouraged to wear a white or red shirt and come to Victoria Park at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 1, to participate, along with members of HMCS Queen Charlotte and HMCS Charlottetown. The first 400 people to arrive will receive a free Canada 150 commemorative T-shirt.

An aerial photo will be shared by the City of Charlottetown afterward.

Small and large communities across the country have joined the fun flag event since 2011, and each has its own style, said Ken Kelly, the original flag-waving organizer in Victoria, where it all started.

For example, this year, the Prairie partners are taking the technical aspects of creating a Living Flag to the next logical level.

“No guessing, no figuring out angles and lengths by lots of volunteers, Brandon and Winnipeg are respectively employing surveying and GPS skills and the generosity of local firms while Regina, Saskatchewan is using the GPS skills of their provincial civil service to ensure the exactitude of their flag,” he said.

“No matter what community in the country the Living Flag will be flown this July 1st, I believe all participants will share an unabashed love of country and community and the enjoyment of being part of something big.”

“No matter what community in the country the Living Flag will be flown this July 1st, I believe all participants will share an unabashed love of country and community and the enjoyment of being part of something big.” Ken Kelly