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Locals deck neighborhoods in Miramar Beach with red, white, and blue flags for July 4th

Tina Harbuck
The Destin Log

From fireworks, parades to family gatherings, people love to celebrate the Fourth of July in many ways. 

For Silvia Madriaga, her July 4th would not be complete without decking a few neighborhoods in red, white and blue. 

Lydia Casey, Marcelo Madriaga and Silvia Madriaga gather before heading out to place flags in yards Wednesday morning.

Madriaga and her band of flaggers spent Wednesday morning walking the neighborhoods along Walton Way, Forest Shore Drive and others in Miramar Beach placing American flags near the mailboxes. Madriaga, along with her son Marcelo, Lydia Casey, Antoine Ascanio and Aiden Champion placed 1,000 flags. 

Madriaga has been placing flags in yards for the past 24 years. 

Siliva Madriaga waves at folks as they pass by while she puts out flags in the neighborhood.

“We just enjoy it so much … it has just become part of our Fourth of July celebration. No Fourth of July would be the same without seeing the neighborhoods completely covered in flags,” she said. 

“It makes the neighborhoods look so good,” said Casey, whose been helping with the flag distribution for the past three years. 

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Madriaga started putting flags in yards when she worked for American Realty, which is what that company did every year. However, after she left that company, she continued the tradition.

Marcelo Madriaga loves the tradition of putting out flags for the Fourth of July.

“I thought I can’t let my neighbors down … so I continued the tradition,” said Madriaga, who is now a Realtor with Premier Property Group.

In fact, homeowners have come to expect this and even keep the flags year after year.  

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"We go walking with stacks of flags in our arms. We get cheers and waves from passersby. We look forward to putting the flags out, and people look forward to seeing them. The flags instill a sense of patriotism. ... It’s a little hot out but worth the work,” Madriaga said. 

Antoine Ascanio assisted in putting out flags on Wednesday morning. He brought along his skateboard for a bit of assistance in covering more ground.

The temperatures were already in the mid-80s Wednesday morning as they walked and placed the flags in yards. 

Marcelo Madriaga, 20, has been helping out for so long he could not remember when he started. His mother said she took him along on his first when he was in a stroller. 

Silvia Madriaga and crew placed 1,000 flags in their neighborhood on Wednesday morning in preparation for the Fourth of July.

But on Wednesday, he was decked out in his red, white and blue flag overall shorts. Marcelo said he has been around flag ceremonies as a scout and helping to put the flags out in the neighborhood “just seems like the right thing to do.” 

“It’s heartwarming to know that patriotism is alive and well in our area. We enjoy it every year,” Silvia Madriaga said.