Pacific Park’s Ferris Wheel To Honor ‘Hispanic Heritage’ Month And ‘Grito de Independencia’ on September 15, Followed By ‘Mexican Independence Day’ Celebration on September 16.
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will join the City of Santa Monica in recognizing “Hispanic Heritage” month and the diversity of all Hispanic – Latino/Latinx peoples and partner with the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles to celebrate “Grito de Independencia” and “Mexican Independence Day.” Special lights on the Pacific Wheel will begin each evening at sunset (about 7 p.m.) to 12:30 a.m. to include:
- Friday, September 15, “Hispanic Heritage” month and “Grito de Independencia,” Pacific Park will present a special lighting of the Pacific Wheel featuring festive floral designs in yellow, orange, pink, purple, and blue.
- Saturday, September 16, “Mexican Independence Day,” Pacific Park will present a special lighting of the Pacific Wheel honoring 213 years of independence featuring festive colors, patterns and transitions of red, green and white – along with a 90-feet-tall animated Mexican flag on the Ferris wheel.
- Guests can enjoy the Pacific Wheel lighting celebrations at the Santa Monica Pier, from Palisades Park and beachside, or online from Pacific Park’s live Ferris wheel camera at https://www.pacpark.com/live.
WHAT:
Mexican Independence Day Wheel Lighting
WHEN:
Saturday, September 16, 2023
Dusk until midnight
(lights come on around 7 PM)
WHERE:
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier
The Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles will also host celebrations for “Grito de Independencia” and “Mexican Independence Day” at Los Angels City Hall as they illuminate the building with the colors of the Mexican flag.
“We are grateful to Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier and to Los Angeles City Hall for lighting their landmarks to celebrate these very important dates in Mexican history,” said Consul Sergio Mariscal, Head of Press and Social Communication at the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles. “Along with these celebrations, we call on all Angelenos to participate in a Hispanic Heritage event during the month to show support for so many people with family from Latin American countries.”
Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the culture, contributions, and heritage of American people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. The City of Santa Monica expands this celebration to all Latin Americans to honor the Latino/Latinx identity in the United States. This recognition began in 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson issued a proclamation annually designating the week including September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage Week.
On September 16, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo was a Catholic priest who gave the call for Mexico’s Independence from Spain after a passionate speech he made in a small town known as Dolores, now called Dolores Hidalgo in central Mexico.
“We appreciate the City of Santa Monica for their month-long celebration and the opportunity to support the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles to recognize these significant historical and cultural events,” said Nathan Smithson, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier. “The Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel is a Southern California icon and is known Internationally for its location on the world-famous Santa Monica Pier.”
The Pacific Wheel is the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel featuring 174,000 LED lights that are mounted on the Ferris wheel’s 40 spokes and two hubs. The Ferris wheel’s lighting system features 16.7 million color value combinations 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. The Ferris wheel soars nine stories high and lifts riders more than 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean to offer extraordinary views of the Southern California coastline.
About Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier
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 seaside retail shopping. Prices and operating hours are subject to change. For more information and operating hours, please call 310-260-8744, visit pacpark.com, and go to Facebook.com/pacificpark, Instagram.com/pacpark or Twitter.com/pacpark.
About Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles
The Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles is the largest Mexican consular representation abroad. The jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles covers the 88 cities that make up Los Angeles County, and its staff is here to provide free assistance and guidance. Our functions include protecting and defending the dignity, rights, and interests of Mexicans, as well as assisting and advising Mexicans who experience labor mistreatment or violations of their human rights. Among the various functions of the consulate is issuing travel documents such as passports and identification cards.
Feature image courtesy of @pacpark