Royal, civic and national ceremonyLatin America and the CaribbeanSecular and civic
Flag Day
In its own language: Día de la Bandera Nacional
Argentina's national day for its flag, kept on 20 June in memory of Manuel Belgrano
Flag Day, or Día de la Bandera Nacional, is Argentina's yearly commemoration of the national flag and of Manuel Belgrano, the man who created it. It is kept on 20 June, the anniversary of his death in 1820, with its main ceremony in Rosario, where the flag was first raised, and was formally designated in 1938.
When is Flag Day kept?
Flag Day is kept every year on 20 June, or on the third Monday of June under the later law.
Flag Day in Argentina honors the country's flag and the man who created it, Manuel Belgrano. It falls on 20 June, the day he died in 1820, and was made an official commemoration in 1938. Rosario, where the flag was first raised in 1812, holds the largest gathering, and the President often attends. In Rosario, schools and public offices close for the day.
Origins and law
The commemoration was created by law number 12,361, passed on 8 June 1938. From the start it was tied to a fixed date, 20 June, the anniversary of Manuel Belgrano's death in 1820. A later law, number 24,445, changed the arrangement so the day could instead be marked on the month's third Monday. Lawmakers who backed that change wanted long weekends, which they argued would help tourism. The flag itself came earlier: Belgrano created it on 27 February 1812. That February date is not officially commemorated in Argentina.
How it is kept
Public commemorations open with a meeting, followed by speeches from municipal and provincial authorities. The President of Argentina usually attends. A parade comes next, with members of the military, police officers, veterans of the Malvinas War, and many civilian organizations and associations taking part. Within Rosario, 20 June remains a day off for staff of the municipal and provincial administrations and for everyone at public and private schools, whatever the national rule says.
Rosario and the memorial
Rosario, in Santa Fe Province, holds the largest ceremony, at the National Flag Memorial. The city's claim is historical. Belgrano first raised the flag there, on two artillery batteries set on opposite banks of the Paraná River. Because of that, Rosario has long been treated as the home of the observance, and the memorial is the seat of the day's main events: the public meeting, the speeches and the parade.
The date debate
Not everyone welcomed the move to a Monday. In 2006 Hermes Binner, who later became governor of Santa Fe, put forward a bill to cancel the change and put the celebrations back on fixed days. The bill lapsed because Congress did not take it up within a year. At Flag Day in 2010, Binner and Miguel Lifschitz, then mayor of Rosario, again asked Congress to repeal the law and return the commemoration to 20 June.
How Flag Day is kept
A public meeting opens the day at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario. Municipal and provincial officials give speeches, and the President of Argentina attends. Then comes a parade: military personnel, police, veterans of the Malvinas War, and civilian organizations and associations. In Rosario, municipal and provincial employees and school pupils have the day off. The event is held each year on 20 June.
When and where
The national date is 20 June, the anniversary of Manuel Belgrano's death in 1820. A later law allowed it to be marked on the third Monday of June, which creates a long weekend. In Rosario, 20 June remains the working date and is a public holiday there. The flag's creation on 27 February 1812 is not officially observed.
Argentina keeps Flag Day nationwide, but its center is Rosario in Santa Fe Province, at the National Flag Memorial. That city is where the flag was first raised, on artillery batteries on opposite sides of the Paraná River. The main ceremony, the speeches and the parade are held there, and the President attends.
What Flag Day means
The day looks two ways at once: to the flag as a national symbol, and to Manuel Belgrano as the person who made it. Honor for the flag and remembrance of its creator are joined in a single commemoration. Rosario's part in the story, the first raising of the flag, gives the city a special place in the observance.
Questions people ask about Flag Day
When is Flag Day kept?
Flag Day is kept every year on 20 June, or on the third Monday of June under the later law.
What is Flag Day in Argentina?
It is a national commemoration of the Argentine flag and of Manuel Belgrano, the man who created it. It falls on 20 June, the anniversary of his death in 1820, and was established by law in 1938.
Where is it celebrated?
The main ceremony is in Rosario, in Santa Fe Province, at the National Flag Memorial. Rosario is where Belgrano first raised the flag in 1812. The rest of the country marks the day too, since it is a national observance.
Who was Manuel Belgrano?
He created the Argentine flag, which was first hoisted on 27 February 1812. He died on 20 June 1820, and the anniversary of his death is the date the commemoration follows.
Does the President attend?
Yes, the President of Argentina takes part in the ceremony. The programme includes a public meeting, speeches by municipal and provincial authorities, and a parade of the military, police, Malvinas War veterans and civilian groups.
See also
Día de la TradiciónAn annual Argentine day celebrating gaucho customs on poet José Hernández's birthday
Mother's DayA worldwide annual celebration dedicated to mothers, maternal bonds and family care
IntiThe Inca sun deity, honoured with temples, offerings and the June festival Inti Raymi
Basque festivalGatherings of dance, sport and food that keep Basque culture alive far from homeGood reading and sources
- Flag Day (Argentina) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Flag Day (Argentina)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryParampara rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.
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