When the lights go (up) in the city
And the sun shines on the bay
Do I want to be there-ere-ere
In my city
Oh, oh, woh, woah
The Bay Lights launches next week Tuesday March 5th on the Bay Bridge. Cmon people, this is more exciting than the World Series or the Superbowl. This is fine art in our very own backyard for the whole world to see. This is huge. This is major. This is epic!
I can’t resist adding that the artist is a long-time Burner (Burning Man attendee) who founded Disorient camp.
Below are key tidbits I pulled from the Bay Lights site, their news release, and their fact sheet.
THE BAY LIGHTS is an iconic public art installation created by internationally renowned artist Leo Villareal, with over 25,000 white energy-efficient LEDs on the Bay Bridge West Span. This ever-changing, dazzling light sculpture will be 1.8 miles wide and 500 feet high – a monumental tour de force eight times the scale of the Eiffel Tower’s 100th Anniversary lighting. It will impact an audience of over 50 million people in the Bay Area alone, with billions more seeing THE BAY LIGHTS in media and online over two years, starting with a Grand Lighting Ceremony on March 5, 2013.
THE BAY LIGHTS is a site specific installation. The artist will use patterns of weather, the water and the traffic of cars, ships and wildlife as inspiration for creating his software algorithms. The patterns will never repeat.
THE BAY LIGHTS will be seen by over 50 million people in the Bay Area with billions of media impressions globally. It will also infuse significant resources into the region creating jobs and contributing to local businesses. An independent economic impact assessment conservatively estimates $97 million will be added to the local economy as a result of this project.
THE BAY LIGHTS will put the Bay Area in the global spotlight for two years, starting with a momentous Grand Lighting Ceremony on March 5, 2013, a year that also features the America’s Cup, the Port of San Francisco’s 150th Anniversary, the opening of the new Exploratorium at Pier 15 and, within days of the America’s Cup’s finale, the opening celebrations for California’s largest civic works project – the Bay Bridge East Span.
The LEDs are high efficiency and the power used will be offset by solar credits for the least environmental impact. Only $11,000 per year is allocated to energy cost.
I think this is reason enough for me to finally get out to San Francisco in the next two years! And I think it might be just the push my husband needs to get on board.
Yes, you must come to San Francisco within the next two years. Tonight is the Grand Lighting. Supposed to rain, but oh well. Will still be special.
Nice to meet you. It’s great to be in love with your city. I feel the passion. I’m in New York City and I am very connected to my neighborhood. Working and managing two sites where I write for my business and I write for my world! And the Bay Lights look beautiful!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I LOVE NYC! I visit at least once a year and will be there this summer. Come visit the Bay Lights sometime over the next two years. Grand lighting is tonight!
This is so nostalgic for me. But, before I go any further let me compliment your cover design – LOVE. The last time I was home I took my hubby to the Pier so he could experience the sexiness that is the Bay Bridge. He’s visited my home state/town several times now, but I show him something new every time. I’ll be back home in May! Yay!
Today is the Grand Lighting! So excited for you to come home and show your hubby in May.
Hi, I’m Jennice visiting from #SITSsharefest. The picture tgat u havr above is beautiful. Come visit me sometime @ mommyincolor.com!
Hi Jennice, thank you for stopping by my blog. I popped over to your blog and adore Amani. She is precious!
You had me at the Journey quote. I couldn’t help but sing along. Stopping by SITs Saturday Fest! Have a great weekend!
Teresa, grand lighting is tonight for the Bay Lights. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I love to travel, too, so your blog really resonates with me. So festive and fun.
I need to agree with the previous poster about the nostalgia factor. I live in New England now but I used to live in San Francisco. Sigh..pretty sure I left my heart there. Wish I could be there to see the installation and take photos. Thanks for posting.
Tamara, thank you for stopping by my blog. Tonight is the grand lighting for the Bay Lights. There’s a high likelihood of rain so not much different than New England!