Now that Inauguration Day has passed, we can finally share with our customers and followers that Gates Flag & Banner had the INCREDIBLE honor to provide banners and installation services for the 60th Presidential Inauguration Ceremony! Our company was thrilled to be awarded this opportunity, and we must thank our amazing crew of installers and service technicians who went to Washington DC for over a week to make it all happen. Designed by a team led by Kenan Bell, the banners represented a wayfinding tool and a spirit of service.

In total, we provided the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) with 24 single-sided 4’x30' mesh banners that hung over the streets of DC, as well as 62 double-sided mesh banners that measured 7.5' x 10' each and occupied massive sidewalk frames. All these banners were intended to guide and direct attendees around Washington DC on Inauguration Day. But, due to frigid cold temperatures in DC on January 20th, the outdoor component of the day's events was suspended and relocated to be indoors, meaning all the banners we installed sadly had to be taken down just as quickly as they were put up.

Once again, our incredible team sprang into action, adjusted plans, and met the new guidelines of the Architect. All in all, though, this project still has the distinction of being the most ambitious venture we've ever taken on in our 155 years of operation. It served as a testament to what we can achieve, and we will always be proud of our hardworking employees who came together to get the job done!

The AOC sought to partner with a small, women-owned, or minority-owned (SWaM) certified company to create banner bridges with directional banners for the prestigious event. Since Gates Flag & Banner fit the mold perfectly, Bell saw this as an exciting opportunity and quickly worked on forming the partnership.

After an initial three-hour conversation with the AOC to understand their needs, Bell and his team set to work. Four months later, they presented their ideas to address the inauguration's challenges. The project gained momentum in late October, just before the election. The AOC awarded Gates Flag & Banner the sole source contract in the following weeks.

"It has been an honor for me and Gates Flag to work with the AOC," Bell reflected.

A special thanks to Kenan and his team for the exceptional work, planning, and execution. All of us at Gates Flag & Banner are excited to see where this new partnership will take us in the future.