Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Events topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Francisco unveils City Hall centennial plans and lighting; organizers report $1.38M committed so far
Summary
City officials announced a free centennial celebration for San Francisco City Hall on June 19 featuring an LED lighting show by Obscura Digital, music and a documentary. Organizers said the centennial program has a roughly $4 million budget; $1.8 million is in the city budget and about $1.38 million had been raised or pledged as of the announcement.
San Francisco officials and private partners on June 3 announced plans to mark the 100th anniversary of City Hall with a free public celebration on June 19, a documentary and a large exterior lighting program.
Organizers said work to make City Hall more energy efficient is already underway: the project replaces roughly 220 exterior incandescent fixtures with LED lighting to reduce operating costs and enable a multimedia projection produced by Obscura Digital. The June 19 event will feature music spanning a century, food trucks and a light show that organizers described as a ‘‘visual journey through the past 100 years and into the present.’’
Mayor Ed Lee and former Mayor Willie Brown appeared at the press event. Partners from the Giants organization and the Hellman family described programming plans: two musical stages with local musical directors, DJs following the lighting sequence, and family‑friendly interactive elements.
Organizers put the total effort for lighting, documentary production and related programming at roughly $4,000,000. The city has budgeted $1,800,000 toward capital improvements at City Hall; the organizers said they had $980,000 in cash in the bank and an additional $400,000 in hard pledges as of the morning of the announcement—about $1,380,000 committed or pledged against a $2,200,000 fundraising gap. Organizers said some donors indicated they may increase pledges but that the conservative accounting reflected only commitments already received.
The event team said promotional spots will run on KQED, SF Giants channels and other outlets and invited the public to submit City Hall memories using the hashtag #SFcityhall100 and via sfcityhall100.com.
Organizers and city officials said the centennial is intended as a public‑private celebration that showcases the building’s historic restoration and civic role. No new city budget action was taken at the announcement; organizers will continue fundraising to close the remaining gap.
