A blue and white tricolor containing a logo-style seal in the middle.
Designed by
Fernando Méndez
The current flag of Billings, Montana is a triband of dark blue and white with the city seal on the central white panel. The seal shows the city skyline line-drawn in blue, with a red disc representing the sun. The seal is outlined in blue with the text "Star of the Big Sky Country" in red capitals.[1] It was designed by Fernando Méndez and adopted in June 1986.
History
On February 3, 1986, the City Council of Billings approved a citywide contest to design a new flag and seal with a $500 prize for each with a deadline set for May 15.[2][3] The two contests drew 66 total entries and were won by Fernando Méndez,[1] an immigrant from the Philippines who worked part-time as an art director for a local advertising firm. He was paid $1,000 for his work and the flag was adopted by the city government.[4]
In 2004, the North American Vexillological Association conducted an internet survey of 150 city flags across the US. Billings' flag ranked 106th place out of 150 flags. It received 3.35 points on a 0-10 scale, or D+ rating.[5]
