The City of Evanston's flag was designed by Bernie Allen-Harrah, a talented 7-year-old in 1st grade at Dawes Elementary School. The new flag resulted from Mayor Daniel Biss' Youth Flag Redesign Contest which took place during the 2023-2024 academic school year. 

Flag Reproduction Design Materials

Interested in getting your own printed flag? Feel free to reproduce this flag design or create branded materials using the provided elements below to ensure accuracy and consistency. 

High-Quality Image Files

• Vector Files: AI or EPS for scalability without losing quality
  • Download Adobe Illustrator File
  • Download EPS File
    
    
• High-Resolution Raster Images: PNG or JPEG with a resolution of at least 300 DPI for clear printing. 
  • Download PNG
  • Download JPEG

Color Specifications

• Pantone Colors: Specific color codes used for consistency across various media
• CMYK Values: For printing purposes to ensure the colors match the design
• RGB Values: For digital use to maintain color accuracy on screens
• Hex Codes: Useful for web and digital design

Size Specifications

• Aspect Ratio: 3:5
• Common flag size: Most flags are printed as 3 ft. by 5 ft.

Flag Symbolism

The flag features a prominent forest green background, symbolizing the abundance of Evanston’s urban tree canopy. 

Near the center of the flag is a striking white star, representing the Grosse Point Lighthouse, a historic landmark. The star also signifies the lighthouse’s beacon of light, radiating from north to south, illuminating and guiding the community.

On the right side of the flag, a blue stripe represents the vast expanse of Lake Michigan, a defining geographical feature of Evanston and an important natural resource providing drinking water to multiple adjacent communities.

Parallel to this stripe is a golden band, symbolizing the sandy beaches that border the lake.

The layout of the flag is inspired by an aerial view of Evanston, integrating its key natural elements into a cohesive and visually appealing design. 

About the Youth Flag Design Contest

The contest began in August 2023 and was initiated after Mayor Biss was approached by Bill Simos, an art teacher at Evanston Township High School, who drew attention to the need for a new city flag. Young artists and designers from grades K-12 across Evanston participated this past school year, submitting over 200 designs. All submissions were received in 2023.

In early 2024, nine finalists were chosen by a group of local professional graphic designers. These designers were then paired with the finalists and volunteered their expertise to help perfect the young artists’ visions. This collaborative process not only refined the designs but also provided the students with insights into professional design practices.

After a difficult deliberation process, the panel of designers selected Bernie’s flag because of its unique ability to combine concrete Evanston-relevant symbolism with attractive and abstract design elements. The panel was also enormously impressed with the runner-up, Bridget Michaels, whose vibrant design demonstrated creativity and artistic skill.