Once again, San Francisco has an extra glow for the holiday season as downtown hosts an annual light display over the course of 10 days.

Friday, the city kicked off the fifth year of its ‘Let’s Glow SF’ holiday light display, where projections are displayed onto buildings around downtown at nighttime.

Let’s Glow, which is led by the Downtown SF Partnership, began in 2021 as a way to spread holiday cheer during the pandemic. Since then, the event has grown in popularity and scale.

This year, Let’s Glow will be on display at eight locations around downtown San Francisco, including the Ferry Building. The installation will run from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will continue through December 14.

At the event to launch the light display on Friday, crowds packed the plaza in front of the Ferry Building to join in the festivities and watch the lights.

Four-year-old Miles Trapp of San Francisco said his favorite light display was the one that depicted an underwater scene with an otter.

“They look like they are playing a moving on the building,” Trapp said.

Chanel Blackwell of San Francisco attended Friday’s event with her husband. It was her first time seeing the Let’s Glow display.

“I am so happy I got to see this, it’s worth it, and it’s cold, but it’s so worth it being out in the cold to watch this,” she said.

Many local leaders in politics and business spoke at the event on Friday. One of the featured speakers was Empire Record Label founder Ghazi Shami, who shared memories with the crowd of his time growing up in San Francisco.

“Fast forward many years later to see how far this city has come, and how majestic and beautiful it is, I’m just proud to be here,” Shami said, adding that he brought his own family to enjoy the light display.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie spoke at the event as well and marveled at the number of people who showed up to attend.

“This is what is driving our comeback, our arts, our culture, our creative class,” Lurie said.

Several local leaders at the event spoke about how public art displays in San Francisco have played a big role in bringing energy back to San Francisco, and in particular to downtown.

SAN FRANCISCO – The death this week of Claude, the beloved albino alligator at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, was due to liver cancer, officials said Thursday.

Claude, who died Tuesday, suffered from extensive liver cancer with evidence of liver failure, as well as signs of systemic infection, according to preliminary findings from a necropsy.

“Treatment options were limited and likely would have had minimal success,” the academy said in a statement on Thursday.  

The 30-year-old alligator had been a resident of the academy for 17 years. He had been moved from his swamp-like enclosure just past the building’s main entrance as his appetite waned in recent weeks.

“It is often difficult to diagnose health issues in apex predators due to their propensity to hide illness, and Claude’s behavior was normal until just a few weeks before his death,” the academy said.

A change in the color and texture of the alligator’s skin was the clearest sign of his declining health.

A full exam and necropsy was conducted at the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

The museum plans to hold a public memorial and will release additional details about the date and location soon, Academy officials said. 

“We have been overwhelmed by the waves of compassionate support flowing in from the Bay Area and around the globe,” said California Academy of Sciences Executive Director Scott Sampson. “This remarkable reptile was clearly a cultural icon who inspired millions of people, among them a generation of children and youth who grew up alongside him. Claude will be deeply missed, and we remain committed to carrying on his vital work of connecting people with nature.”