Traditional Opening/Closing Flag Ceremony
Opening and Closing Ceremonies
Traditional Opening/Closing Flag Ceremony
Simple and traditional flag ceremony is used to open and close pack meetings.
Den or Pack
Pack
Supply List
- U.S. Flag
- Pack Flag
- Two Flag Stands
- 2+ Cub Scouts
- Cubmaster
Set-Up:
Gather the Cub Scouts and their Adult Partners and have them sit together in front of the Den Leader.
Directions
Before the Ceremony
- Watch the Flag Ceremony video Den Leader Tips & Tricks Flag Ceremony Video.
- Select a Cub Scout to carry the U.S. Flag.
- Select a Cub Scout to carry the Pack flag.
- Explain flag ceremony terminology to the Cub Scout color guard:
- Color guard refers to people in uniform who hold a flag in a ceremony or parade.
- Halt means stop.
- Post means to put the flag into its stand.
- Two means to stop saluting.
- Retrieve the flag means to remove the flag from its stand and return to your position.
- Review the ceremony with the Cub Scout Color Guard.
- Remind Cub Scouts to respect the flag and never allow the U.S. flag to touch the ground.
- Ask Cub Scout flag carriers to walk to the front of the meeting space and cross to the other side of the stage.
- Explain that the U.S. flag always walks slightly in front of other flags, which is a way we show respect for the flag.
- Place the U.S. flag stand “stage right,” which is the right-hand side from the speaker’s perspective. From the audience’s perspective, the U.S. flag is on the left.
- Place the Pack flag stand “stage left,” which is the left-hand side from the speaker’s perspective. From the audience’s perspective, it will be on the right.
During the Ceremony
At the beginning of the meeting: OPENING FLAG CEREMONY
- Have the color guard come to the front of the room.
- Position the Cub Scout with the U.S. Flag on the far “stage left” of the room, which is the left-hand side from the speaker’s perspective. From the audience’s perspective, they will be on the far right.
- Position the Cub Scout with the Pack flag on the far “stage right” of the room, which is the right-hand side from the speaker’s perspective. From the audience’s perspective, they will be on the far left. The Cubmaster stands in front of the meeting space, facing the audience.
- Read the Opening Flag Ceremony found in Additional Resources.
- When the Cub Scouts are asked to present the colors, they cross each other about halfway on the stage to reach their correct positions.
After OPENING FLAG CEREMONY
Read the Scout Oath and Scout Law from the poster found in Additional Resources or the back cover of your Cub Scout handbook.
At the end of the meeting: CLOSING FLAG CEREMONY
- Ask the Color Guard to stand next to the flag they will carry.
- Cubmaster stands in front of the meeting space, facing the audience.
- Read the Closing Flag Ceremony found in Additional Resources.
- When the Cub Scouts are asked to retrieve the colors, they will cross each other about halfway on the stage to get to the same positions from which they started for the opening ceremony.
