(ABC 6 News) – Saturday is Minnesota Statehood Day, and for the first time the new official state flag was raised over the Minnesota State Capitol.

RELATED: Minnesota gets its new symbol

The new Great Seal of the State of Minnesota and State Flag of Minnesota was approved by the State Emblems Redesign Commission in 2023 and became the official state emblems. The flag and seal reflect Minnesota’s best-known traits – the North Star and our many lakes and rivers – and were based on original designs submitted by Minnesotans.

“The new flag and seal reflect all Minnesotans and showcase the features of our state that we can all recognize – the water, the land, the North Star, and of course – the loon,” said Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. “We can all unite around these common images that help our state stand apart from the rest.”

According to a press release from the Secretary of State’s Office, the new state flag was raised for the first time over the Minnesota State Capitol at sunrise on May 11, shortly after the outgoing state flag was retired by the Minnesota National Guard and preserved by the Minnesota Historical Society.

The new state seal was unveiled for the first time officially on May 11 at an afternoon event honoring State Emblems Redesign Commission Chair Luis Fitch and Vice-Chair Anita Gaul, flag designer Andrew Prekker, and seal designer Ross Bruggink with the National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion Award – the highest honor that a Secretary of State can bestow.

The Minnesota Secretary of State is the official keeper of the Great Seal of the State of Minnesota and the official photo of the state flag. An official photo of the new state flag has not yet been selected.

Secretary Simon served as a voting member of the State Emblems Redesign Commission and was an advocate for bringing Minnesotans into the process through design submissions and repeated rounds of public comment.

Additional information about the new state flag and seal are available on the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website.