The Rotary Club of Durham will bring its Flag Day celebration to Hub RTP on Saturday morning, offering a free public program that runs from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and centers on the people the club calls local heroes. The event at 300 Park Offices Dr in Research Triangle Park will honor veterans, first responders, healthcare workers, educators and others recognized for service in the community.

That timing matters because the celebration lands on Saturday, June 14, making it a Flag Day 2026 event that gives local families a short, easy window to attend. The program is built around a field full of American flags, along with a flag ceremony by the Hillside High School Junior ROTC, patriotic music from the Riverside High School Choir and reflections on America’s 250th Anniversary from local Rotary Interact students.

Community leaders and local veterans are also expected to speak, turning the gathering into more than a ceremonial stop on the calendar. The North Carolina Children’s Museum will host family activities, and the public nature of the event keeps it open to anyone who wants to join the observance without a ticket or reservation.

What gives the morning its weight is the tribute to fallen Durham County veterans, which folds a note of loss into a celebration built around service and pride. The Rotary Club is using the same platform to recognize living honorees and remember those who did not come home, a pairing that gives the event a different tone from a standard holiday program.

The celebration is part of the Flags for Heroes project, which helps support local nonprofits and charitable causes throughout Durham and the Triangle area. ABC11 is listed as a sponsor of the project, and the free event on June 14 is the next public chance for the community to take part in it, though the amount raised through the effort has not been disclosed.