Hoboken, GWB Welcome Back ‘World’s Largest’ USA Flags

When New Jersey does something, it tends to do it big. And on Flag Day 2018, a pair of the “world’s largest” star-striped banners returned to the Garden State for encore appearances.

The PNC American Flag balloon, billed as the “world’s largest free-flying American flag,” returned to the Stevens Institute of Technology campus in Hoboken on Thursday morning. The huge, flag-shaped hot air balloon has made appearances in the Mile Square City for several years running. It’s 53 feet tall, 78 feet wide, 29 feet deep and weighs 530 pounds.

The five-story balloon requires 30 million BTUs of propane to be fully inflated, according to the QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning in Readington, where the red, white and blue behemoth will be making an appearance this year.

This year’s balloon inflating event at Stevens Institute also celebrated the 225th anniversary of the first successful manned hot air balloon flight in America, which took place in 1793 and landed in New Jersey.

• See related article: 'World's Largest' Free-Flying Flag Rises Above Hoboken

STARS AND STRIPES AT THE GWB

Meanwhile, another “world’s largest” flag returned to the George Washington Bridge for display on Thursday until 1:15 p.m. (See photo below)

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey describes the display as the “world’s largest free-flying U.S. flag.”

According to previous Port Authority news releases, the humongous, 450-pound flag is 90 feet by 60 feet and drapes vertically, responding to breezes from the Hudson River or Palisades. The flag's stripes are approximately five feet wide and the stars measure about four feet in diameter.

Port Authority workers restored the flag in 2001 as a show of their patriotism following the World Trade Center tragedy.

According to the Port Authority:

"George Washington Bridge maintenance employees discovered the gigantic, old flag in a storage room on the New Jersey side of the bridge. Working day and night on their hands and knees, the bridge employees carefully repaired the flag, which was spread out on the floor of a bridge maintenance garage, finally returning Old Glory to its former glory. Bridge maintenance staff sewed back tattered stars, painted faded stripes and installed grommets from which the flag can again be hung."

Port Authority officials have also flown the flag for other holidays and commemorations, such as Memorial Day and for 9/11 tributes.

• See related article: USA's 'Largest Free-Flying Flag' Waves At GWB For Memorial Day (VIDEO)
• See related article: 9/11 Tribute: Largest Flag In The World To Be Flown At GWB

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Main Photo courtesy of Mensch & Company, Inc. PR