City of Boise Flag

Let’s make a flag that feels like Boise—together!

City of Boise flag with blue and white colors.

Boise is updating its city flag, and we need your help! For 35 years, our flag has featured the city logo, but now we have an opportunity to create a design that better reflects Boise’s unique culture, values, and identity. A new flag should be something we can all take pride in—representing who we are today and the future we’re building together.

We've received your input, nearly 3,000 responses, and we are moving to Phase 2, the call for flag submissions. Let’s make a flag that feels like Boise—together!

View the Survey Results

Submit Your Flag Design!

Boise is updating its city flag, and we want your design ideas! This is an opportunity to create a flag that truly reflects Boise’s culture, values, and identity. Whether you're a professional designer or just passionate about our city, we invite you to submit a flag design that represents who we are today and the future we’re building together. Submit your design and be part of Boise’s history!

Open to all ages. Deadline to submit your flag design is February 24, 2025.

APPLY NOW

In recent years, states and cities across the nation have embarked on a journey to redesign their flags to embrace a new identity or mark a new era for their communities. Boise is such a vibrant city, and it’s time that our city flag represents our community, history and values.
Mayor Lauren McLean

About the Flag Design Contest 

To ensure this process remains community-led, inspired, and collaborative, we have formed a Flag Design Committee (FDC). This temporary committee, appointed by the Mayor, includes both community members and city staff who call Boise home. Their task will be to evaluate design submissions based on community feedback, quality, alignment with the City of Boise’s values and mission, adherence to flag design principles, and accessibility. The committee will narrow down the submissions to the top designs, which will then go to the community for a final vote. The FDC ensures the process stays thoughtful and inclusive, helping to create a flag we can all be proud of.

Contest Phases: 

We are actively in Phase 1 of the flag redesign contest. Please check back and follow along as we move through the four phases. 

January 2025 - Phase 1: Community Engagement and Feedback

February 2025 - Phase 2: Contest Application 

March 2025 - Phase 3: Flag Design Committee Review

April 2025 - Phase 4: Public Vote  

May 2025 - Council Adoption + Final reveal!

Meet the Flag Design Committee

David Duro
YMCA, CEO

Ashley Hammond
Borah Neighborhood Association President

Kris Komori
KIN, Chef/Owner

Bob Kustra
Politician, Academic Administrator, Boise State University President (2003-2018)

Chris Mathias
Idaho State Representative, District 19

Theresa McLeod
St. Luke's Health System, Director of Community Relations

George Prentice
Boise State Public Radio, Host/Reporter

Leila Ramella-Rader
City of Boise, Creative Services Senior Manager

Nina Schaeffer
Jacobs, Urban Planner

Trish Walker
Idaho Black Community Alliance, CEO

Design Guidelines

To ensure the success of the City of Boise City Flag Design Contest, we ask applicants to adhere to a set of guidelines that uphold the principles of good flag design as outlined by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA).  

Principles of good flag design include: 

  • Simplicity: The flag should be so simple that a child can draw it from memory. 
  • Use meaningful symbolism: The flag’s images, colors, or patterns should relate to what it symbolizes. 
  • 2-3 basic colors: Limit the number of colors on the flag to three that contrast well and come from the standard color set. 
  • No lettering or seals: Never use writing of any kind or an organization’s seal. 
  • Distinctiveness: Avoid duplicating other flags but use similarities to show connections.  

Designs should strive for clarity and memorability, ensuring that the flag remains recognizable from a distance and stands out among others. 

Contest Application 

The City of Boise Flag Design Contest is open only to residents of Boise, Idaho. In addition to a design, applicants must provide a brief written statement about their design and how it reflects community-sourced concepts and values. Contest applicants are encouraged to be inspired by and/or integrate the concepts and values based on the results of the public survey. 

The top 3 finalists will receive $1,000 with the winning designer being awarded an additional $4,000.   

  • Designs will be submitted via Submittable 
  • Only ONE (1) design submissions per person/business is allowed. 
  • The design should be owned, created, and credited to individual who submits the design. 
  • Minors may submit designs with parental consent.  
  • The flag design must follow the flag principles mentioned above. 
  • Must include the City of Boise blue (CMYK 100 17 0 73; RGB 0 61 94; Hex 003D5E; PMS 302C). 
  • Flag dimensions should be 3x5. 
  • Design must be submitted in pdf, jpg, or png format. 
  • Submitted designs must not contain any offensive, derogatory, or copyrighted material.  
  • If your flag design is chosen, the artist understands the copyright will belong to the City of Boise. 

The Survey Results: Your Voice in Action

Boise’s city flag should be a reflection of the people who call it home. That's why we turned to the community first—launching a survey that received nearly 3,000 responses to understand what symbols, colors, and themes best represent Boise. The results provided clear direction on what residents want to see in a new flag, guiding the call for design submissions.

Below, you’ll find key takeaways from the survey that helped to shape next steps in the design process:

What symbols or imagery do you think best represent Boise?

Select all that apply.

Answer Response %
The Boise Foothills53%
The Boise River69%
Trees and Nature44%
Wildlife26%
Mountains31%
Historic Landmarks39%
Agriculture13%
Urban and Modern Elements8%
Other20%

What colors should be included in the City of Boise flag?

Select up to three.

Answer Response %
Blue75%
Green69%
White54%
Yellow/Gold41%
Orange27%
Red9%
Red10%
Brown10%
Other15%

What values or themes should the new flag represent?

Select all that apply.

Answer Response %
Inclusivity and Diversity23%
Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship26%
Boise's History and Culture54%
Innovation and Progress14%
Community Pride21%
Outdoor Recreation and Adventure62%
Resilience and Strength22%
Other20%

What design elements are most important to you?

Select all that apply.

Answer Response %
Simple and Easy to Read53%
Unique and Distinctive29%
Traditional and Timeless50%
Modern and Innovative12%
Other15%

A Brief History of Boise’s Flag and Visual Identity

The City of Boise’s current flag design, adopted in 1989, features the Idaho State Capitol building and a grove of trees outlined in white on a blue background. The words “BOISE City of Trees” are displayed on a white band, emphasizing Boise’s identity as a tree-lined city. While the flag’s design was functional and relevant at the time of its creation, some elements, like the Capitol building, no longer fully represent Boise’s identity or the diverse culture of its community today.

The City’s logo, introduced alongside the flag in 1989, has been widely used in both print and digital formats for government applications. Over time, a variation known as the “mark” was introduced in 2016 as part of a visual style guide, offering a simplified version for modern use.

Boise’s official city seal, however, predates both the logo and flag. Designed in 1893 by Max Kohn, the seal features symbols like a beaver, a miner, and a soldier, representing the city’s history and its founding. This seal remains in use today for official government purposes.

As the city evolves, so do the needs for its visual identity. The new flag design aims to better reflect Boise’s shared history, values, and collective identity while creating a modern, inclusive symbol of community pride.

City of Boise seal with ornate drawings.

Seal

City of Boise flag with blue and white colors.

Flag

City of Boise logo in dark blue.

Logo

Mark

Message Sent Successfully!

Message Failed To Send.

Send a Message to Mayor's Office

Thank you for your interest in the City of Boise Mayor's Office. Please complete the form to have your inquiry sent to the Mayor's Office staff.