75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Festival This Sunday!
In this week’s DEM Blog, we are sharing the message created by the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. Meanwhile, DEM will be a part of the festivities by activating the City’s Emergency Operations Center to ensure coordination, communication and situational awareness, which is what we regularly do to support San Francisco’s cultural value to celebrate!
From our friends at the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District:
Join the celebration of the year as the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy—in cooperation with the National Park Service, the Presidio Trust, and the City and County of San Francisco—bring the world together to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. The Bridge’s official 75th birthday celebration will be held on Sunday, May 27, 2012 starting at 11:00 AM.
Recalling the historic Golden Gate Fiesta of 1937, the Golden Gate Festival will celebrate the iconic international landmark through music, art, dance, historical exhibits, a display of cars from 1937 to the present, and a classic watercraft parade. Stretching from Fort Point to Pier 39, free public events will be held throughout the day along the San Francisco waterfront, with major programs at Crissy Field and the Marina Green. Additional activities and events will be held at the Presidio, Fort Mason Center, Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Pier 39.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION To ensure maximum enjoyment, access, and safety for all Golden Gate Festival participants, please note the following: • There will be No Bridge Walk. • Please walk, bike, or use public transit to get to the festival. Bike racks will be available onsite. • No public parking will be available in the Presidio, Crissy Field, or Marina Green. • ADA parking will remain open on a first-come, first-served basis. • No vehicular access through the Presidio. Transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians welcome. • Visitors should expect significant traffic delays throughout the day. • Golden Gate Bridge traffic will be interrupted during the fireworks show, scheduled to begin at 9:30 PM. • East and west pedestrian and bicycle sidewalks will be accessible during the day but will close at 6 PM. The sidewalks will reopen 10 PM–Midnight. • This is a No Alcohol event. • For transit details, visit 511.org or goldengatebridge75.org.
GETTING TO THE FESTIVAL The Golden Gate Festival on Sunday, May 27, 2012 is the center point of the Bridge’s year-long 75th anniversary program. Coinciding with Memorial Day weekend, this event is sure to be popular—make sure to plan appropriately! No parking is available on festival grounds and parking nearby is extremely limited, so walking, biking, or taking public transportation are encouraged. Please do not drive to or near the event. You can find trip-planning help at 511.org, by calling 511 (711 for TDD), or on the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District's website.
BASICS FOR SUNDAY, MAY 27th • Sunday, May 27, Golden Gate Festival, from Fort Point to Marina Green is expected to draw tens of thousands of people. There will also be celebration activities at Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Pier 39. • Please do not drive into or within San Francisco on May 27, as the City is anticipating severe traffic congestion and potential gridlock. • TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT, WALK, OR BIKE. Plan your route beforehand. • All parking in the event vicinity is CLOSED on May 27. • Golden Gate Festival starts at 11 am. • Fireworks start at approx. 9:30 pm along the waterfront from Fort Point to Marina Green, where visibility is optimum. • Fireworks ARE NOT VISIBLE from EAST of Marina Green including the area from Fisherman's Wharf to The Embarcadero. • May 27 event specifics are posted here: www.goldengatebridge75.org
ROAD CLOSURES The Presidio will be closed to through traffic from 9 am-Midnight. Gates will be open only to Presidio residents with access passes, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, taxis, and shuttles. The Lombard/Marina gate will be closed to all private vehicles, including those with access passes.
The Golden Gate Bridge will be closed from 9-10 pm for the fireworks show. Do not travel to the Bridge or use Bridge access roads at that time. Consider using the Richmond-San Rafael and Bay Bridges for alternate travel throughout the day. For more information, visit the Bridge district website. Bridge sidewalks will be closed at 6 pm and will reopen following the fireworks.
Happy anniversary Golden Gate Bridge!
Best wishes,
All of us at DEM