Drum Roll Please!!

Help build huge Arizona State flag out of LEGOs on Mill this Flag Day
7’ x 10.5’ flag will use 114,006 LEGOs, weigh 800 pounds or more

While on Flag Day, most people will fly just the flag, Brian Scott of Bonanza Educational will be building a giant flag Made entirely out of LEGOs.

And everyone who comes to Mill Avenue can help him.

Scott is constructing a 7’ x 10.5’ Arizona Centennial flag consisting of 114,006 LEGO Brand Building Bricks. Not so coincidentally, the total number of blocks being used is also the total square miles in our state. Scott hopes for a week of teamwork from the whole community to create this unique, patriotic salute.

Flag building will take place inside a temporary space on Mill Avenue and Seventh Street, suite 121, courtesy of Centerpoint on Mill. People can stop in the storefront from June 14 – 21 from noon - 8 p.m. to help build the flag. Come early in the week to make sure there is still some flag to build! People who want to participate will receive a handful of LEGO bricks to help build, a little education on how science, math and art are needed to build projects like this one, and the opportunity to look at some cool LEGO art made by local artists.

“Tempe has a history of patriotic events, such as the annual Healing Field of thousands of American flags on Sept. 11, the largest Independence Day celebration in the state and our Veteran’s Day parade” said Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman. “Our flags symbolically unite all Americans and Arizonans with pride.”
This isn’t the first big flag that Scott has created. He also has an 7’ x 12.5’ United States LEGO flag weighing more than 900 pounds that will be on display at Centerpoint on Mill. Many of the block colors being use are specially made for this project, such as the dark blue and dark red. The intent is to be as color accurate as possible.

Media are welcome to get a sneak preview of the project on June 14 from 5 – 9 a.m. Scott will have a portion of the flag built and reporters will have an opportunity to pop in a few pieces and to play with the LEGOs to make other things. The LEGO US flag will also be there.

When the flag is finished, it will go on tour. It will be a star attraction at Tempe’s Fourth of July festival, has a potential stop at Tempe's Sept. 11 Healing Field event, the Arizona State Fair and will travel the state through Feb 14, 2013.

LEGO CONTEST
The City of Tempe and the Downtown Tempe Community are getting into the spirit of it all by hosting a contest for the best Lego interpretation of Tempe landmarks, such as the Mill Avenue Bridge, the Hayden Flour Mill, A Mountain, the Pedestrian Bridge, ASU Gammage, and the like. The rules are simple – you can only use Legos for your structure and it must be your own work. You can have a painted base for your entry.

Entries are due to the Centerpoint before 3 p.m. on June 20, when they will be judged by a variety of Tempe and LEGO dignitaries. Prizes will include Fourth of July celebration tickets for the family, Mill Avenue goodie bags and more.