Help Us Select a New City Flag!
The City of Cedar Rapids wants residents to help us select a new city flag. In order to select a flag that best reflects the community, we asked residents to tell us what colors, shapes, symbols best represent Cedar Rapids, and send us their design ideas.
Several volunteer designers created a series of concept flags using the input gathered from the community earlier in the public engagement process. The concept flags were ranked and refined through feedback from members of the North American Vexillological Association and a local committee. Now we are asking Cedar Rapids residents to rank four final designs to help us arrive at a new flag for the City of Cedar Rapids.
Design Considerations
Designs for the new Cedar Rapids flag follow guidelines set by the North American Vexillological Association:
- Keep It Simple: A flag should be so simple it can be drawn from memory.
- Use Meaningful Symbolism: A flag’s images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes.
- Use 2-3 Basic Colors: Limit the number of colors on the flag to three which contrast well and come from the standard color set.
- No Lettering or Seals: Never use writing of any kind or an organization’s seal.
- Be Distinctive or Related: Avoid duplicating other flags, but you can use similarities to show connections.
Finalists & Symbolism
Embracing the River
The Cedar River, represented in blue, runs through a green landscape, representing our city’s natural areas. White separates the river and landscape representing the city’s homes, businesses and infrastructure, including long-term flood protection. The river splits at iconic Mays Island, with the star representing the historic structures built on the island, with five points to represent the City of Five Seasons.
Community United
The blue water of the Cedar River is depicted in blue, while the green represents the wonderful green space and recreational areas of our city. The white represents the city’s homes, businesses and infrastructure, including long-term flood protection, which both interacts with and protects the community from the river. The white diamond’s four sides symbolize the city’s four quadrants and the star’s five points represent Cedar Rapids’ long time motto — the City of Five Seasons. The blue and green space share equal size and importance, symbolizing the community’s care and collective resolve to protect and enjoy our natural resources
Resilience and Renewal
Blue depicts the water of the Cedar River and our community’s strong history with the river and water. The green stripe represents the wonderful green space and natural areas of our city and our commitment to sustainability. The white stripe symbolizes our community’s resilience and dedication to renewal and progress. The star represents our ongoing endeavor for improvement and excellence, with the five points signifying Cedar Rapids’ long time motto —the City of Five Seasons.
History and Progress
The blue water of the Cedar River courses through Cedar Rapids, splitting at iconic May's Island. The green field represents the wonderful green space and recreational areas of our city, while the white represents the city’s homes, businesses and infrastructure, including long-term flood protection, which both interacts with and protects the community from the river. The star represents the historic structures built on Mays Island, with five points to illustrate the City of Five Seasons.
Now You Decide!
Help select the flag that best represents the Cedar Rapids community by ranking the designs in order of preference.
Flag Unveiling September 18, 2021
The final flag will be unveiled on September 18, 2021 during the downtown farmers market. Join us at the Cedar Rapids library at 10:00 am to see the final flag, selected by Cedar Rapids residents.
Final designs were created by local volunteer designers using feedback received through the public input process. Costs associated with this project totaled $687.73 for public engagement materials.
