Submitted Photo The American flag flies from a new flagpole next to the North Dakota State Fair grandstand stage.

Thanks to the efforts of area veterans organizations, two large flags are flying higher than ever on the North Dakota State Fairgrounds in tribute to military veterans.

Tioga veteran Jeff Barta said the project to replace the former flag poles, installed in 1997 behind the grandstand stage, launched in September 2024.

The former poles were worn and not conducive for the display of the American and Canadian flags. The project to replace them was both veteran-focused and dedicated to veterans and service members, Barta said.

Providing the $13,156 in funding were American Legion posts in Upham, #269; Tioga, #139; Watford City, #297; Turtle Lake, #133; Belfield, #144; Bismarck, #1; and VFW Posts #13226 in Bismarck and #756 in Devils Lake; and AMVETS Post #9 in Bismarck.

The Flag Pole Guy in Mandan, working with the North Dakota State Fair grounds staff, installed the poles on Thursday, Oct. 2.

Barta said the former poles were about 20 feet high, while the new poles stretch 40 feet. The new poles also are accommodating larger flags of 8X12 feet.

“Since they’re right beside the stage and the stage is so massive, having such a short pole wouldn’t look right,” Barta said of the decision to go with a more impressive height and flag size. The decision to go big caught the crowd’s attention at the recent Nodak Speedway races.

“We had a national race last weekend,” Barta said. “People from all over the United States were there and said, ‘Wow, those are something else.’ Everybody who had been going to the races all their lives, they couldn’t believe how amazing they looked. It was quite a difference.”

A dedication ceremony is planned on Nodak Speedway’s Military Appreciation Day on May 25.