Massive 4.1 Mile Laser Rainbow Flag Returns to SF (June 28-30)

San Francisco’s 4-mile-long rainbow laser flag will once again light up Market Street for Pride Weekend 2025.

The large-scale installation, known as WELCOME (#WelcomeSF), will run nightly for 3 nights from Friday, June 27  through Sunday, June 29 (or technically early Monday morning) with lasers turned on from sunset to sunrise each night (note the lasers will turn on around nightfall; exact time varies with sunset).

The colorful beams will stretch from Embarcadero Plaza all the way to Twin Peaks, forming what organizers call the world’s largest pride flag.

Created by local arts nonprofit Illuminate, the installation first debuted in 2022. New for 2025, this year’s event will feature the 45-foot-tall R-Evolution sculpture, which will be illuminated in Pride colors throughout the weekend. The collaboration includes artist Marco Cochrane, lighting artist Phil Spitler, and arts group Building 180.

The lasers, affectionately nicknamed “gaysers,” will be launched from a mobile platform known as the AweMobile, in partnership with NuSalt Laser International. Compared to previous years, the platform will be set lower to create a more immersive experience for viewers along Market Street.

To support the installation, Illuminate has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover the $50,000 cost which relies entirely on individual donations (no corporate donations).

A free kickoff celebration is scheduled for Friday, June 27 at 8pm at Embarcadero Plaza, featuring music, drag performances, and appearances by Dykes on Bikes and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Welcome Pride Kick-Off Celebration
📅 Friday, June 27, 2025
📍 Embarcadero Plaza, San Francisco
🕗 8:00pm – 10:00pm
💸 Free

The weekend kicks off with a public celebration at the base of the R-Evolution sculpture. The event will feature:

• Live DJ sets
• Drag performances
• Dykes on Bikes
• The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
• Emceed by Sister Roma, the world’s most photographed nun
• Portions of the event will be streamed live on @illuminatethearts Instagram

Final approvals and permits are still pending. Check Instagram for updates as the weekend approaches.

The World’s Largest Laser Pride Flag
Friday to Sunday, June 27-29, 2025
Lit nightly from 9:15pm*(ish) until sunrise (Time is approx. In 2023, it was lit at 9:15pm)
Ferry Building, down Market Street to Twin Peaks, SF
FREE

Why is SF’s Laser Pride Flag so special?

• 20 laser space cannons will create six lines of color (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
• The laser flag is 49 feet wide and length is 4.1 miles (over the top of Twin Peaks)
• SIX TIMES more visible than the brightest ordinary searchlight
• The “Laser Space Cannon” is the brightest RGB full color laser in the world at over 450 watts each RGB, Full Color, laser power.

 

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