The Golden Gate Bridge Celebrates Its 75th Anniversary With Lots Of Sparkle

Few American landmarks are as recognized, photographed and beloved as the Golden Gate Bridge, which celebrated its 75th anniversary this weekend with a full slate of free performances, festivals and fireworks displays around San Francisco and the Bay Area.

The weekend's festivities were the highlight of a full year of celebrations, which included exhibits, lectures, performances, concerts and film screenings dedicated to the iconic landmark. One thing visitors shouldn't expect is unrestricted pedestrian access; city officials learned their lesson from the bridge's 50th anniversary celebrations, when more than 300,000 people crowded the main thoroughfare causing the center portion of the bridge to flatten out.

In appropriate fashion, the bridge also received a touch of "sparkle" for its 75th, in the form of a new art and science installation called Solar Beacon, which opened on Sunday. According to the Los Angeles Times, the installation involves a set of remote control mirrors positioned on top of the bridge's towers, which have the capacity to reflect narrow beams of light across the San Francisco Bay. The installation will also be participatory; residents are invited to log onto Solar Beacon's website and input a particular place and time, and the project will direct the light's beam there.

Gallery: San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge Turns 75

[flickr image above via Argent_G37S]

Filed under: History, Festivals and Events, Photos, North America, United States, Video, News