BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary's 1,000 Flags display is more than a patriotic tradition — it's the club's only fundraiser, supporting organizations and projects for an entire year.
Sandra Parnell, incoming president of the Bakersfield Breakfast Rotary, said the event draws on all six Rotary clubs in Bakersfield, with volunteers beginning work Friday night to mark flag positions before returning at 6 a.m. Saturday to pound stakes and place poles.
"We probably have over 200 volunteers to put this all together," Parnell said.
With flags pre-assembled on poles and stored in containers, the full display goes up in about 3 hours. A surveyor within the club works from a city schematic to pre-mark every position — a process refined over 12 years after some early missteps with sprinkler lines.
"We've got it down to a fine science," Parnell said.
Last year, the event faced a serious setback when a trailer containing flags was stolen from storage. The community response, Parnell said, was immediate.
"The phone just started ringing, and people in the community started reaching out to us and saying what we can do to make this happen? We were offered, you know, financial assistance and everything else to get it done, so it was kind of a good feeling," Parnell said.
"To know that the community wanted to rally behind us and make sure the event still happened," Parnell said.
For Parnell, the display carries a personal meaning rooted in family.
"I think of my dad because he was in the Army for 33 years, and I wish he were here to see it, you know. What would he say? Oh, I think he'd be proud. He was very proud of his service and proud of his country, and he'd be right there hammering stakes and diving in there with everybody else," Parnell said.
Her father, a chief warrant officer who served in both Korea and Vietnam, is part of why her favorite time to visit the display is in the evening.
"Nothing looks prettier than when that little breeze comes through and gets all 1,000 of those flags waving," Parnell said.
The weekend includes several events open to the public. A barbecue by Salty's Barbecue, led by Jeff Salters, takes place Saturday evening alongside a free family-friendly concert held among the flags. Tickets are available at the door.
Sunday morning features a 5K fun run and a 1-mile walk. Participants receive a 1,000 Flags t-shirt and dog tags in place of traditional race medals. Registration is still open.
The weekend concludes Monday at noon with a memorial service to honor those who died in military service. Local veterans and dignitaries are scheduled to speak. The ceremony wraps up around 12:45 p.m. with a skydiver expected to land carrying a flag and trailing smoke, weather and conditions permitting.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
