Hoover Dam decked out with patriotic display for America250

As Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of the summer travel season, Arizona travelers heading to Nevada may want to stop by Hoover Dam to see a new patriotic display.

The iconic landmark now features a 300-foot-by-150-foot American flag and red, white and blue lights projected across the dam.

The installation coincides with the “Great American Road Trip,” an America250 initiative that encourages Americans to explore iconic destinations and scenic routes across the country.

America250 is a bipartisan organization behind a series of nationwide celebrations leading up to the country’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.

The installation uses more than 550 automated LED fixtures and 126,200 feet of wire. It draws about 2,250 amps of power, all supplied by Hoover Dam’s hydroelectricity.

The 2,000-pound American flag was previously used at Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders football games.

Organizers said the display is the most ambitious long-term installation ever attempted at Hoover Dam. A flag was previously draped over the dam on May 1, 1996, for the Olympic Torch Relay — but it was shown for only one hour.

The light display will be turned on every evening through July 4.

Leaders from Arizona and Nevada recently gathered at the dam on Monday for a Memorial Day event honoring the men and women who died while serving the country — and celebrating the erection of the new display.

Gov. Katie Hobbs spoke at the event unveiling the display, saying the U.S. has been the greatest country in the world because Americans are innovative, forward-thinking and willing to do hard work.

“We refuse to be limited by fear, by division or by the belief that the future must look like the past,” Hobbs said. “We refuse to be chained to old ways of thinking because America’s promise has always been renewed by generations willing to make this country freer, safer, stronger and more prosperous than they found it.”

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