3,000 9/11 flags return to Inwood Hill Park for 25th anniversary memorial

A field of 3,000 Flags of Honor and Flags of Heroes will return to Inwood Hill Park in Upper Manhattan from Sept. 10-13, 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The installation honors the people killed that day, first responders, and workers tied to the World Trade Center, while fundraising and volunteer support are still needed.

Why it matters: - The memorial field returns to the park where it first appeared in 2006, bringing a public 25th-anniversary remembrance back to Upper Manhattan. - The installation is designed to honor the 2,977 people killed on Sept. 11, 2001, the six victims of the Feb. 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and 441 first responders who died that day. - The project also highlights workers who kept the World Trade Center running and the union members who responded and rebuilt.

What happened: - 3,000 9/11 Flags of Honor and Flags of Heroes will be raised in Inwood Hill Park from Sept. 10-13, 2026. - The memorial field is led by New York artist Mike Hughes, known as MIKE 171, and produced by Claudia Grimaldi Marks. - Hughes grew up blocks from Inwood Hill Park. - The field marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. - The installation will take place at Inwood Hill Park, Rugby, Soccer and Gaelic Field, New York, NY 10034.

The details: - Each Flag of Honor is an American flag whose red and white stripes are made from the names of the 2,977 people who died on Sept. 11, 2001, plus the six victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. - Each Flag of Heroes carries the names, ranks and affiliations of the 441 first responders who died on Sept. 11. - The flags were created by John Michelotti after the attacks. - More than 800,000 flags have since been distributed to firehouses, police precincts, military bases, government buildings and private homes around the world. - The names used in the installation come from the most current records of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. - This year's installation gives special emphasis to porters, window washers, electricians, food service workers, security guards, elevator mechanics and tradespeople. - The memorial also recognizes the New Yorkers and union members who responded to the attacks and helped rebuild. - Hughes has liver cancer that has been certified as 9/11-related by the World Trade Center Health Program. - Hughes said the 2026 field may be the last time he is able to make the memorial happen. - Hughes said he wants the installation to be special for New York City and for everyone lost on that day.

Between the lines: - The installation is both a remembrance and a statement about the long tail of 9/11, with illness still affecting survivors and responders decades later. - The focus on building workers and tradespeople broadens the story of 9/11 beyond the headline victims and first responders. - The memorial's return to Inwood also underscores how local neighborhoods continue to carry and shape public memory of the attacks.

What's next: - Installation begins Thursday, Sept. 10 at 10 a.m., with volunteers, families and the public invited to help plant the flags. - On Friday, Sept. 11, a moment of silence and bell ringing will take place at 8:30 a.m., and the field will remain open until dusk. - The field will stay on view Saturday, Sept. 12, until the park closes at dusk. - Flag pickup for supporters who reserved a flag will run Sunday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - The memorial is funded entirely by the community. - Supporters can sponsor a flag for $20 and pick it up on Sept. 13, or have it mailed for $30 with shipping included through the flag reservation form. - Donations can be made through the Museum of Urban Arts donation page. - Volunteers are needed on Sept. 10 to plant flags, on Sept. 11 and 12 to greet visitors, and on Sept. 13 to help break down the field. - Companies and unions that lost members on Sept. 11 are encouraged to sponsor flags in their names.

The bottom line: - The 2026 memorial aims to turn Inwood Hill Park into a living, community-built field of remembrance for the 25th anniversary of 9/11.