San Francisco’s
Illuminate Festival of Light 2023/24

San Francisco’s Illuminate Festival of Light 2023/24

The City by the Bay always dazzles, especially during the holiday season when it is aglow with the annual Illuminate SF™ Festival of Light.

• Visiting San Francisco this Winter? Stay close to all the light installations in the heart of the city’s downtown/union square district. Alternatively choose the Mission District for a different vibe and host to San Francisco’s famous gay parties. 

The Festival

• San Francisco’s Illuminate Festival of Light  celebrates the power of light with artworks by world-famous artists.
• lluminate SF has grown since its inception from six to 62 temporary and permanent eco-friendly light art installations created by a diverse array of acclaimed international and local artists
• Stay close to the start of the light trail in Union Square (7 mins to Embarcadero) at the Citizen M San Francisco, rated Wonderful by guests featuring modern rooms and superb amenities in a perfect location, 

The Light Art Trail

• Tip – A great way to see a collection of the installations is to take the Light Art Trail. The Trail begins along the Embarcadero at “The Bay Lights,” which is displayed on the north side of the Bay Bridge’s western span.
• The Trail ends at a poignant gay installation. “Hope Will Never Be Silent” glows over Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro, commemorating the words of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the history of California.
• This installation is designed to honour his life and legacy through the light’s power of attraction, offering a sign of hope to all who visit.
• Stay close to all the major light installations at the Omni San Francisco, rated “Superb” by guests with a modern gym, spacious rooms and friendly and attentive staff.

Installation Highlights 2023

While all are worthy of a visit, here are our top choices not to be missed:

• Helical Trace: A permanent installation inside the new LUMA Hotel in Mission Bay, Helical Trace is local artist Jim Campbell’s newest contribution to San Francisco’s Light Art Trail. The dynamic light installation can be seen from the street through the lobby’s floor-to-ceiling three-story windows.
• The Wind Baffles: These illuminated structures at The Parks at 5M are designed to mitigate wind and transform into stunning sculptures at night.
• Point Cloud: Located on a pedestrian bridge at The Moscone Center, this installation consists of steel rods and LED bulbs that change colors every 30 seconds.
• Peace in the Middle East: A neon artwork by Taravat Talepasand, featuring the word “peace” in Farsi, explores cultural taboos and gender and political authority.
• Love Over Rules: Glowing letters spelling out “LOVE OVER RULES” on the Salma Family Building represent a tribute to the artist’s cousin and encourage different interpretations.
• Day for Night: At the top of the Salesforce Tower, this massive light installation displays daily scenes of city life throughout the night.
• White Light: Jenny Holzer’s installation in the Salesforce Transit Center features an LED screen displaying words of wisdom from various writers.
• Let’s Glow SF: A holiday projection mapping event featuring whimsical winter-themed images projected onto iconic buildings in the Financial District.
• Language of the Birds: This permanent sculpture connects Chinatown and North Beach, featuring suspended “books” that mimic birds in motion and embedded words in English, Italian, and Chinese.
• Buckyball: Inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome, this 25-foot illuminated sculpture at the Exploratorium showcases dynamic light sequences driven by chance.
• Seeing Spheres: Olafur Eliasson’s artwork consists of steel spheres with mirrored faces that create multilayered, reflected spaces visible from various angles.

Where to Stay?

• San Francisco is divided into several neighbourhoods, but the primary 2 are The Castro and Soma, with Soma being the area where you will find Folsom Street and most of the leather and fetish bars.
• If you want to be close to all the tourist attractions and stay in some of the best hotels in the city, then we recommend the downtown/union square district 

Recommended Hotels

The following hotels are close to the gay bars and the city’s top attractions:

InterContinental Hotel,     Courtyard by Marriott ,    Palace Hotel,    Hotel Zelos,