In honor of AAPI Heritage Month 2026, Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier will light its iconic 90-foot-tall Pacific Wheel with a custom-designed lighting program on Friday, May 1 at sunset. The Ferris wheel display will showcase vibrant red colors, dynamic patterns, and themed icons, joining landmarks across the country in celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage along the Southern California coastline.
Since the early 1990s, the United States has observed Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a month-long celebration of the history, culture, and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. It is observed every May, and was first celebrated in 1977. Approximately 15 years later, Congress passed a joint resolution designating May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which is also now celebrated across the globe.
The Pacific Wheel’s 174,000 LED lights are mounted on the Ferris wheel’s structure including the 40 spokes and two hubs. The world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel’s lighting system features 16.7 million color value combinations while the programming and display software presents imaging up to 24 frames per second to display dynamic, custom, computer-generated lighting entertainment. The eco-friendly, enhanced LED lighting provides 81 percent greater energy savings than most Ferris wheel’s traditional incandescent bulbs.
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