Flags Unlimited to celebrate 60th anniversary, pride on display ahead of Flag of Canada Day

National Flag of Canada Day is being celebrated on Sunday, marking 61 years of our country’s red and white maple leaf flag.

Sunday will mark 61 years of our country’s red and white maple leaf flag as we know it today, which means our communities in our region are gearing up and getting ready to show their Canadian pride.

In Barrie, Flags Unlimited has been around for almost as long as the Canadian Flag itself.

“This new-designed flag was presented to Canadians in 1965, Flags Unlimited was founded in 1966,” said Mary Jane Boon, general manager of the company’s long-standing history.

Since then, Flags Unlimited has become one of the top flag printers in the country.

On Friday, they will celebrate National Flag of Canada Day along with their 60th anniversary.

“People last year bought more flags at this time of year than they had in any other year since we started,” added Boon. “We’re talking thousands of flags.”

All of those flags were manufactured in the warehouse on St. Vincent Street right next to Highway 400.

“This is our season when we’re gearing up for Canada Day as well, so we’ve got to make sure that we get all our product ready to have in the stores so that you can get it for Canada Day,” said Kevin Scharf, packaging team lead.

Up in Huntsville, the downtown area has been full of national pride showcasing the maple leaf, a program that has been going strong since last year.

“This was a program that our events and promotions team came up with where we wanted to show our pride during a time that the tariffs were coming out,” explained Rachel Hunt, Downtown Huntsville BIA executive director.

Local businesses have been taking part by proudly displaying 40 flags, with more expected on the way.

“These are small businesses in our downtown that really need our support locally and tourists,” added Hunt. “It’s really important to continue to support our small businesses.”

Back in Simcoe County, The Flag Store calls National Flag of Canada Day its bread-and-butter for business.

“It’s a very busy time for us because we’re also preparing stock for people that have been wanting to freshen their flag for the springtime,” said Cecilia Burke, CEO. “It’s always a great sense of pride when people are asking to have their flags flown on their property or at their business and we get very excited.”

The stores in Barrie and Thornton store will have their annual lunch and cake celebrations this weekend.

Flags Unlimited will be offering free flags to their first 60 shoppers on Friday and 60 more to schools across the country.

The flags in the downtown area of Huntsville will remain on display indefinitely and the BIA does not expect them to come down anytime soon.