This time of the year, when it gets dark early, it is a joy to see all the light installations, private and public.
San Jose partnered with Burning Man in an initiative called ‘Playa to Paseo’ to bring more engaging art downtown. The first of these, the Sonic Runway, is in front of the City Hall on Santa Clara Street from Fourth to Sixth. Everyday from 5pm to 12am thru mid January 2018 the Sonic Runway “is a corridor of lights that visualizes the speed of sound”, according to the official website. I recommend going both ways through the tunnel; one way the sound is coming at you the other way you are in sync with lights and sound.
When I visited, the early visitors were enjoying a stroll thru the tunnel, in both directions. I saw families with kids, but also couples on their way to a night out in town.
A short while later the skaters used a newspaper box as a ramp to perform some jumps and slides inside the tunnel.
I had the feeling the only ones not so thrilled about it are the city hall employees trying to go home at 5pm.
The other light installations in the ‘Illuminating Downtown’ program are:
(http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/03/22/map-interactive-light-displays-downtown-san-jose/)
- ‘Show Your Stripes’ – Second and San Fernando
You can use a phone code to change the patterns and colors of lights on the building
- ‘Sensing You’ and ‘Sensing Water’ – Highway 87 underpasses at Santa Clara and San Fernando
Lights responding to movements of passers-by
- ‘San Jose Semaphore’ – Adobe Tower, Park Ave and Almaden Blvd
Crack the code, an interactive game
- ‘San Carlos Lantern Relay’ – South side of San Carlos, between Fourth and Market
Eight boxes on poles flash an interactive light show
- ‘Voxel Cloud’ – Pierce Ave at Market St.
3-D light sculpture on top of the apartment building
Have you setup your own Holiday light installation? If you have post a photo on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/untilsuburbia/.