Earth Hour Ferris wheel lighting at the Santa Monica Pier

Published on March 15, 2024

The Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel will be ‘lights off’ for one hour on Saturday, March 23 in recognition of Earth Hour.

Earth Hour, one of the largest global grassroots movements for the environment, will virtually bring together millions of people, businesses and leaders from around the world to raise awareness on the urgent need to address nature loss and climate change.

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier joins Earth Hour as the world-famous Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel, will “Go Dark” except for the wheel rim safety lighting, from 8:30-9:30 p.m.

This special lighting event will take place on the evening of Saturday, March 23. The Ferris wheel lights can be seen from dusk until 11:35 PM each evening. Enjoy watching the light program online at pacpark.com/live.

WHAT:
Special Lighting of the Pacific Wheel for Earth Hour

WHEN:
Saturday, March 23
8:30 PM – 9:30 PM

WHERE:
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier

On Saturday, March 23 at 8:30 p.m. local time, Earth Hour, one of the largest global environmental movement returns for its 18th edition with the “Biggest Hour for Earth” as it unites millions around the world in celebration of our planet.

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier joins Earth Hour as the world-famous Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel, will “Go Dark” except for the wheel rim safety lighting, from 8:30-9:30 p.m. The Pacific Wheel is the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel. The Pacific Wheel Earth Hour event can also be viewed online at https://pacpark.com/live.

WWF’s Earth Hour is the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement supporting our planet. In an increasingly divided world, Earth Hour serves as a beacon of positivity, hope, and inspiration to rally as many people as possible, in particular people who are not fully engaged with the environmental crisis yet. Earth Hour is more than a moment; it’s a movement that for the last 18 years has continued to inspire and mobilize people globally, reminding us of our collective responsibility to create a more hopeful and resilient future for our planet.

Since its creation in 2007, Earth Hour has been known for its “lights off” moment. As landmarks and homes across the world switch off, supporters are also invited to symbolically switch off and ‘Give an hour for Earth,’ spending 60 minutes doing something – anything – positive for our planet. In 2023, over 410,000 hours were given to our planet by supporters in 190 countries and territories, representing 90% of the planet, making it the Biggest Hour for Earth.

Earth Hour participants can visit earthhour.org to know what’s happening in locations around the world and read individuals’ stories about what they are doing for the planet. Now is the time to secure a healthy, sustainable and climate-resilient future for all. Every voice, no matter how big or small, can help make a difference.

“Pacific Park has been an avid supporter of Earth Hour since the beginning and believe in its messaging and activities on sustainability, climate and environmental awareness around the world,” said Nathan Smithson, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. “From our solar-powered Ferris wheel to our award-winning grassroots initiatives, Pacific Park is committed to being the best environmental conscious company possible by working with our city, within our community and globally with national and international partners.”

Through its own ecological efforts, Pacific Park received the “Excellence in Stewardship of the Natural Environment” award at the 15th annual Sustainable Quality Awards presented by the City of Santa Monica, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and the nonprofit Sustainable Works.

The nine-story tall Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel first debuted in May 1996 with the opening of Pacific Park and was adapted as the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel in November 1998.

Pacific Park also introduced the world’s first wind-powered amusement park game, the High Striker, in October 2011. All components of the High Striker were completely wind-powered including the chaser lights with more than 100 bulbs, multiple spotlights and sound system.

Soaring 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean, the Pacific Wheel’s 174,000 LED lights are mounted on the Ferris wheel’s structure including the 40 spokes and two hubs. The world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel’s lighting system features 16.7 million color value combinations while the programming and display software presents imaging up to 24 frames per second to display dynamic, custom, computer-generated lighting entertainment. The eco-friendly, enhanced LED lighting provides 81 percent greater energy savings than most Ferris wheel’s traditional incandescent bulbs.

Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, LA’s only admission free amusement park, offers 12 amusement rides, 14 midway games, an oceanfront food plaza and retail beach shops. In addition to the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, the Pacific Wheel, Pacific Park’s signature rides include The West Coaster, a steel roller coaster that races 55 feet above the Santa Monica Bay; and Inkie’s Air Lift Balloon Ride, the high-flying, family-sharing kids’ ride. For additional information and hours of operation, call 310-260-8744, visit pacpark.com, and go to Facebook.com/pacificpark, Instagram.com/pacpark or X.com/pacpark.

See the lights from home at pacpark.com/live.

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.

 

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Feature image courtesy of @pacpark