Despite routine summer appearances from Karl the Fog and a minor political squabble, lasers beamed from the top of Coit Tower starting Friday night, and you can catch them lighting up San Francisco’s skyline from sunset to sunrise through Sunday.
The light show, dubbed the “Candle” by its creator, arts nonprofit Illuminate, is the third of four installments in the organization’s “Summer of Awe” project. In an effort to dazzle San Francisco’s residents, Illuminate is setting up large-scale laser displays at four of the city’s most iconic spots and monuments.
From a 4.1-mile-long rainbow laser Pride Flag in June to a glowing Sutro Tower to celebrate Independence Day and the monument’s 50th birthday, the goal is to boost moods with something bright and shiny to smile at and remind residents of San Francisco’s individuality and stunning sights.
If you’ve driven across the Bay Bridge in the last 10 years, there is a good chance you are familiar with the work of Illuminate and its founder Ben Davis. For a decade–measured to the day between March 2013 and March this year—a massive light installation twinkled along the Bay Bridge in a project called “The Bay Lights.”
A lighting ceremony and viewing event took place Friday night at Pier 23 Cafe featuring members of the San Francisco Fire Department command staff and some of their fire equipment, whom Coit Tower was originally erected for when it was built in 1933. The monument is named after Lillie Hitchcock Coit, described by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department as a wealthy eccentric and patron of firefighters.
See photos of the Coit “Candle” in action below:
