The official flag of Calgary was designed by Gwin Clarke and Yvonne Fritz. The flag was adopted in 1983 as result of a contest.
The design contains a cowboy hat and the letter "C" on a red background. The hat is somewhat shaped like a hand, as a sign of hospitality.
A white hat tucked in the letter "C" symbolises the citizens living inside their city.
The City wide contest to select the flag was organized by the North Calgary JC's (Junior Chamber of Commerce) and chaired by Bruce Lee. Over 1,000 submissions were received and after three sessions, narrowed down to 3 choices, which was then turned over to the City.
