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Polish Independence Day Ferris wheel lighting at the Santa Monica Pier

Published on November 10, 2023

The Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel will be lit red and white on Sunday, November 12 in recognition of Polish Independence Day.

Saturday, November 11th, is Independence Day in Poland. The date commemorates the anniversary of the restoration of Poland’s sovereignty as the Second Polish Republic in 1918 from the German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires following the first world war. Poland celebrates their independence day with parades, military ceremonies and cultural events across the country. Here in the United States, Polish Americans can celebrate with activities and events arranged by the Polish Embassy and Consulates. Pacific Park will once again partner with the Consul General of Poland here in Los Angeles to light the Pacific Wheel red and white, the colors of the Polish flag.

While Independence Day in Poland is observed on November 11th, This special lighting event will take place on the evening of Sunday, November 12. 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 Polish Independence Day 2023

WHEN:
Sunday, November 12
dusk (around 5 PM) to midnight

WHERE:
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier

 

You can see the lights from home at pacpark.com/live. Here are some other ways to observe Independence Day for Poland:

  • Eating traditional Polish food: Traditional Polish dishes are often served on Polish Independence Day, such as pierogi (dumplings), bigos (hunter’s stew), and gołąbki (cabbage rolls).
  • Watching Polish movies or TV shows: Watching Polish movies and TV shows is a great way to learn more about Polish culture and history. In 2022, Polish language movie EO was nominated for an Academy Award. This heart-warming story follows a donkey who encounters on his journeys good and bad people, experiences joy and pain, exploring a vision of modern Europe through his eyes.
  • Listen to Polish Music – Many people think of Polka when they hear “Polish Music”, but they should be thinking of Poland’s greatest composer and Warsaw’s favorite son, Chopin (1810-1849). He has lent his name to everything from vodka to airports (and even an asteroid). There’s a considerable element of mystery surrounding the man.

Weather celebrating your own heritage, or learning about another culture that is new to you, celebrations such as cultural observances and independence days are a great way to learn more about the world around you and history that shapes today’s society. Learn more about Poland’s Independence Day by visiting the Los Angeles Consul General of Poland on Facebook.

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 @pacpark