FRANKFORT, KY—The U.S. Postal Service will celebrate the release of its Flags of Our Nation Kentucky stamp with simultaneous unveilings in Frankfort and Louisville.

Ceremonies will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, August 6 at the Capitol Rotunda, 700 Capitol Ave., in Frankfort, and at the Center for the Arts, 501 W. Main St., in Louisville.

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear is one of several speakers scheduled to speak in Frankfort. Metro Council President David Tandy, retired jockey Pat Day and Jefferson County District Judge Angela McCormick Bisig will speak in Louisville.

Historians from local historical societies will discuss the history behind Kentucky’s state flag at both events.

The colors will be presented by the Kentucky Air National Guard, Base Honors Team in Frankfort and Boy Scout Troop 97 of First Gethsemane Baptist Church in Louisville.

A balloon release also is slated for the Louisville event—217 balloons representing the number of years Kentucky has been a state. And members of the Louisville Youth Choir will perform My Old Kentucky Home.

The Flags of Our Nation coiled multi-stamp series features the Stars and Stripes, the 50 state flags, five territorial flags and the District of Columbia flag. Twenty stamps, Set 1 (Alabama through Delaware) and 2 (District of Columbia through Kansas) were issued last year. Set 3, issued on August 6, features 10 additional stamps—Kentucky through Missouri, plus a Stars and Stripes stamp. Ten more will be issued each year through 2012 to complete the 60-stamp series. Four of the six groups of 10 will include a Stars and Stripes stamp.

In addition to the flag art, each stamp design includes artwork that provides a snapshot view of the state or other areas represented by a particular flag. In most cases, an everyday scene or activity is shown, but occasionally the view is of something less commonplace—rare wildlife or a stunning vista. The Kentucky stamp features horses.

Artist Tom Engeman, of Bethany Beach, DE, created the highly detailed flag portraits on the stamps, reproducing as accurately as possible—considering the stamp-size format—such complex elements as intricate state seals and coats of arms. Over the years, the artist’s colorful and imaginative designs have appeared on many Postal Service products, including the National World War II Memorial stamp (2004) and the nation’s first Forever Stamp (2007).

To see the Flags of Our Nation stamps, go to The Postal Store at http://shop.usps.com, click Stamps and then Coils. To see other 2009 stamps, click on Stamps. All current stamps, philatelic products and gift items are available by calling toll free 800-STAMP-24 (800-782-6724).

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.