Spirit Park Opens On Veterans Day With Giant Flag, Sculptures Unveiled At Ceremony

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Spirit Park opens at National Harbor Friday with the unveiling of one of the largest flags in the country measuring 50 x 80 feet at 4:30 p.m. More than a dozen smaller and important flags will be raised around the base of the large flag on Veterans Day, which will be flying on a flag pole that stands 177 feet, 7 inches tall.

The flags are being delivered to National Harbor by veterans, bicyclists, runners and a Special Olympian gold medalist swimmer.

Spirit Park consumes 1.776 acres in honor of Independence Day and includes an amphitheater with six rows of seating, which represents the number of white stripes on the flag, and a 50-foot round stage representing the 50 states. Spirit Park will host everything from military concerts, history lectures, military events, private veteran events and general public events. The official opening on Nov. 11 will include a special dedication ceremony and fireworks.

A 17-foot, 77 inch bell tower has been installed at the park. Union Tower will ring daily and mark significant occasions with patriotic songs of history.

Spirit Park also contains sculptures including American Bison, created by John Lopez. Based in South Dakota, Lopez has created a 6.5-foot tall bison bull weighing approximately 1,000 pounds, a 6-foot-tall bison cow and a 3-foot-tall calf. Sculptures of Presidents Eisenhower and Franklin D. Roosevelt, both created by Ivan Schwartz with StudioEIS, also will be part of Spirit Park.