Poland Celebrates 40 Years of Solidarity with a Special Lighting of the Pacific Wheel

Published on August 28, 2020

The Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel will be lit in red and white and features an 82 foot tall Polish flag.

Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of Solidarity, which heralded Poland’s independence and its transition toward democracy. Pacific Park is partnering with the Polish Consulate and other landmarks in Los Angeles by lighting red for the evening. The Pacific Wheel will also display the messages “#SOLIDARITY”, “POLAND”, the “V” for victory hand sign, and an animated Polish flag.

This special lighting event will take place on the evening of Sunday, August 30th. The Ferris wheel lights can be seen from dusk until 11:30 PM each evening. Enjoy watching the light program online at www.pacpark.com/live.

WHAT:

Special Lighting of the Pacific Wheel for Solidarity

WHEN:

Dusk to midnight (around 7:30 PM)

WHERE:

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier

 

Solidarity played a crucial role in the end of communist rule in Poland and other states in Europe 40 years ago this month. The movement gave a direct contribution to a lasting social and economic change in Eastern Europe. The massive social movement established in 1980 instilled the gene of solidarity for all Polish people inspiring great change, a need for community, and opportunities for a better tomorrow.

Take a photo of the white and red “V” for victory sign and post it on social media with #Solidarity40 to engage with the Consulate and others all over the world celebrating this anniversary.

Pacific Park regularly programs the Ferris wheel to display seasonal programing and themed light designs for holidays and special occasions. The Pacific Wheel’s state-of-the-art lighting package was installed in 2016 and can display over 1.6 million different colors and animate patterns and icons in 24 frames per second. The energy efficient LEDs on the face of the Ferris wheel are powered by solar arrays inside Pacific Park. The light programs are curated and designed by Pacific Park staff. Each design is manually animated; some designs can take hours of programming. The aim is to provide fun, high-energy, and sometimes whimsical designs to entertain guests on the Santa Monica Pier and surrounding beaches.

Feature image courtesy of @markedwinmiller