Shedding Light On The Bay Light's History, Farewell, And Bright Future

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Having been a shining fixture on our landmark Bay Bridge for 10 years, you may have stopped to notice the cascading light show dazzling off of it at some point, but on Sunday, March 5, the installation gave a grand farewell, the same date that it premiered. Known as The Bay Lights, this tremendous project was completed by the nonprofit Illuminate, local talents also famed for radiating the large four-mile rainbow flag down Market Street during Pride month, as well as the captivating neon pink triangle.

From a decade of enthralling viewers, to shutting down and even a slight reopening glitch, we're shedding light on just how this art piece became so beloved, as well as Illuminate's future endeavors and what it all means for the Bay Lights.

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First unveiling in March 2013, San Franciscans, tourists, and the whole Bay Area community can recall when they initially saw these lights coruscating the beams of the Bay Bridge in graceful patterns. "It immediately became an iconic image for the Embarcadero," gleams Jill Manton, who, as a director for the San Francisco Arts Commission, helped launch its approval.

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The question, “what if the San Francisco Bay Bridge were a canvas for light?" was what sparked the lightbulb of its artist Leo Villareal to create the piece, crafting a display to also commemorate the bridge's 75th birthday with lights that never repeat.

Spanning a length of 1.8 miles across the sweeping bridge and sitting over 500 feet above the reflective waters, each LED beam also measures over 200 feet tall, a truly immense endeavor by Illuminate that rightfully gained instant adoration as well as increased tourism for the seaside businesses and overall economy.

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After 10 bright years, the light show dimmed to a close on its inaugural date at 8pm, due to increasing system failures and light issues caused by abrasive weather conditions, and overwhelming repair costs. Donations were, and still are, being accrued to fund an improved version of the project, with a set target of $11 million.

Ben Davis, the Illuminate CEO is hoping to find 10 donors to give $1 million each, with another crowdfunded $1 million to support The Bay Lights 360 for another decade, which will boast double the number of original LED lights and "will be viewable throughout San Francisco, Treasure Island, Yerba Buena Island, Oakland and in other parts of the East Bay.”

With such brilliance, Illuminate says a challenge is ensuring that the lights do not distract drivers, which was never an issue with the prior iteration. The first Bay Lights also took two-and-a-half years to complete, and with its patterns never recurring, this new 360 project will feature even more striking displays.

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Joe D'Alessandro, the CEO and President of the San Francisco Travel Association, enthusiastically encourages many to show their support to the initiative, as "the Bay Lights have become one of the icons of San Francisco."

Currently, as of a less than a week past Sunday, March 5, Illuminate has garnered $108.2K. You can make a donation as well here. As Ben Davis powerfully proclaimed, "I'm confident that they will come back."

For more specific conversations and philanthropic processes, you can reach out [email protected].

Here's to keeping this talented San Francisco masterpiece shining bright for the many years to come!

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