If you’re a sports fan, you’ve probably seen the work of 50 Star Productions. The company provides giant flags for the NFL, MLB, auto racing and other sporting events. 

The business was shuttered in January 2020 after the pandemic shut down professional sports.  So when a production company contacted 50 Star Productions in December, requesting a giant American flag, owner and Bountiful resident Amy Barnett was more than ready to help. When she learned it was for the Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C., she was ecstatic.

  “We usually do 150 events per year, so everyone was chomping at the bit to get back there,” she said. “It was certainly a platform that I’d never imagined I’d be involved with, representing my country on the biggest canvas out there.”

Her football field-sized flag was part of the Field of Flags displayed at the National Mall with the inaugural theme “America United.” The field was made up of nearly 200,000 flags representing all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the five U.S. territories and the thousands of attendees who couldn’t attend the inauguration on Jan. 20 due to the pandemic. Barnett’s flag was the largest. 

The 50 Star Productions team spent a week in the nation’s capital assembling, then taking down, the giant American flag. Made up of 14 pieces, one piece for the blue square and 13 pieces for the red and white stripes, the flag was supported by a stage measuring 150x300 feet.

“We had not done something like that, but we were sure it was possible,” Barnett said. “I’m very proud of my staff.”

Barnett worked in the production world for several years before deciding it was time to move on to start her own company. 50 Star Productions opened in Centerville in 2005 and over the last 16 years, Barnett has built a reputation in the industry for delivering quality work. Her company specializes in giant flags, patriotic salutes, stadium card stunts and on-field presentations.

Like other small business owners, 2020 was a challenge for Barnett. With sporting events canceled, she lived off savings and a small PPP loan. She also started substitute teaching to bring in more money. As a single mother with twin 10-year-old daughters, Barnett’s just waiting for the world to return to normal so she can get back to business. 

She says being part of the Presidential Inauguration will certainly be a highlight of her career. 

“It was cool to see the flag in front of the U.S. Capitol. It was just awesome.”