Empire State Building turns red-yellow for China's 60th

[John Day]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hUZamhqvPGVrYZpGq_clUpC7dAUg

NEW YORK — New York's iconic Empire State Building will light up red and yellow Wednesday in honor of the 60th anniversary of communist China.

The Chinese consul, Peng Keyu, and other officials will take part in the lighting ceremony which will bathe the skyscraper in the colors of the People's Republic until Thursday, Empire State Building representatives said in a statement.

The upper sections of the building are regularly illuminated to mark special occasions, ranging from all blue to mark "Old Blue Eyes" Frank Sinatra's death in 1998 to green for the annual Saint Patrick's Day.

Just last week the tower turned bright red.

However, that was not to mark some other communist achievement, but the 70th anniversary of the film "The Wizard of Oz" in which Dorothy wears ruby slippers rather than the silver of the original L. Frank Baum novel.

This is a truly unbelievable and outrageous story. The Empire State Building is one of the greatest symbols of American construction and enterprise and it wasn't by accident that Nathaniel Branden would want to have NBI's headquarters there. For it to be used as a propaganda tool of one the brutal regimes in history is abdication of American values.

[Chris Grieb]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hUZamhqvPGVrYZpGq_clUpC7dAUg

NEW YORK — New York's iconic Empire State Building will light up red and yellow Wednesday in honor of the 60th anniversary of communist China.

The Chinese consul, Peng Keyu, and other officials will take part in the lighting ceremony which will bathe the skyscraper in the colors of the People's Republic until Thursday, Empire State Building representatives said in a statement.

The upper sections of the building are regularly illuminated to mark special occasions, ranging from all blue to mark "Old Blue Eyes" Frank Sinatra's death in 1998 to green for the annual Saint Patrick's Day.

Just last week the tower turned bright red.

However, that was not to mark some other communist achievement, but the 70th anniversary of the film "The Wizard of Oz" in which Dorothy wears ruby slippers rather than the silver of the original L. Frank Baum novel.

This is a truly unbelievable and outrageous story. The Empire State Building is one of the greatest symbols of American construction and enterprise and it wasn't by accident that Nathaniel Branden would want to have NBI's headquarters there. For it to be used as a propaganda tool of one the brutal regimes in history is abdication of American values.

I suspect there are other things the Empire State Building has been used to honor. Are they it going to light it brown in honor of Hitler's birthday.

[Brant Gaede]

http://www.google.co...ZpGq_clUpC7dAUg

NEW YORK — New York's iconic Empire State Building will light up red and yellow Wednesday in honor of the 60th anniversary of communist China.

The Chinese consul, Peng Keyu, and other officials will take part in the lighting ceremony which will bathe the skyscraper in the colors of the People's Republic until Thursday, Empire State Building representatives said in a statement.

The upper sections of the building are regularly illuminated to mark special occasions, ranging from all blue to mark "Old Blue Eyes" Frank Sinatra's death in 1998 to green for the annual Saint Patrick's Day.

Just last week the tower turned bright red.

However, that was not to mark some other communist achievement, but the 70th anniversary of the film "The Wizard of Oz" in which Dorothy wears ruby slippers rather than the silver of the original L. Frank Baum novel.

This is a truly unbelievable and outrageous story. The Empire State Building is one of the greatest symbols of American construction and enterprise and it wasn't by accident that Nathaniel Branden would want to have NBI's headquarters there. For it to be used as a propaganda tool of one the brutal regimes in history is abdication of American values.

I suspect there are other things the Empire State Building has been used to honor. Are they it going to light it brown in honor of Hitler's birthday.

No, brown for shit.

--Brant

[Selene]

I am sorry I looked this up!

We had it lit for several years in honor of equal shared parenting day

Visitors and observers from near and far should not take the lighting of the Empire State Building for granted because there are always interesting and interactive events planned throughout the year. As a focal point for displays, gatherings, and promotions, the Tower Lights just might surprise you with how often they change!

Below is a list of the upcoming Tower Light themes. For a detailed timeline of how the Tower Lights have evolved, please visit the Tower Lights History page.

Tower lights go off every night at 2:00 AM. <br clear="all"> Upcoming Tower Lighting Schedule Date Colors Occasion 08/29/2008 - 09/01/2008 Blue/White/Blue Muscular Dystrophy Association, Jerry Lewis MDA National Labor Day Telethon 09/02/2008 - 09/04/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 09/05/2008 - 09/07/2008 Yellow/Yellow/Yellow United States Tennis Association, Finals Weekend 09/08/2008 - 09/09/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 09/10/2008 Pink/Pink/White Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, City in Pink 09/11/2008 Red/White/Blue In Memory of September 11 09/12/2008 - 09/18/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 09/19/2008 - 09/21/2008 Yellow/Red/Black 51st Annual Steuben Day Parade 09/22/2008 - 09/29/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 09/30/2008 - 10/01/2008 Green/Green/Green Eid-al-Fitr 10/02/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/03/2008 - 10/05/2008 Blue/Blue/White Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Walk to Cure Diabetes 10/06/2008 - 10/09/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/10/2008 - 10/13/2008 Red/White/Green Columbus Day 10/14/2008 - 10/15/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/16/2008 Yellow/Yellow/Yellow Afterschool Alliance, Lights on Afterschool 10/17/2008 - 10/19/2008 Purple/Orange/White Cat Fanciers' Association, CFA-Iams Cat Championships 10/20/2008 Orange/Orange/White Food Bank NYC, NYC Goes Orange 10/21/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/22/2008 Purple/Red/Red Gabrielle's Angel Foundation, Gabrielle's Gala 10/23/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/24/2008 - 10/26/2008 Purple/Purple/White Alzheimer's Association, Memory Walk 10/27/2008 Green/Green/Green Wicked, 5th Anniversary and Wicked Day 10/28/2008 Red/Red/Red Macy's, 150th Anniversary 10/29/2008 - 10/30/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/31/2008 Orange/Black/White Halloween 11/01/2008 - 11/02/2008 Orange/White/Blue New York Road Runners, 2008 ING New York City Marathon 11/03/2008 Red/White/Blue Reminder to Vote for 2008 Presidential Election 11/04/2008 North/South sides - Blue

East/West sides - Red Race for the Presidency - 2008 Presidential Election 11/05/2008 Blue for Barack Obama

Red for John McCain Colors TBD - Winner Announcement of 2008 Presidential Election 11/06/2008 Red/White/Blue Celebrating Democracy 11/07/2008 - 11/09/2008 Green/White/Red 2008 Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Opening Night 11/10/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 11/11/2008 Red/White/Blue Intrepid Museum Re-Opening and Celebrating Veteran's Day 11/12/2008 Purple/Purple/White March of Dimes, Prematurity Awareness Month 11/13/2008 - 11/25/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 11/26/2008 - 11/30/2008 Red/Orange/Yellow Thanksgiving 12/01/2008 Red/Red/Red Starbucks and (RED),

World AIDS Day 12/02/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 12/03/2008 Yellow/Yellow/Yellow Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 50th Anniversary 12/04/2008 - 12/18/2008 White/White/White ESB Lighting 12/19/2008 - 12/22/2008 Blue/White/Blue Chanukah 12/23/2008 - 12/28/2008 North/South sides:

Red/Green/Green - Christmas

East/West sides:

Blue/White/Blue - Chanukah Christmas/Chanukah 12/29/2008 - 12/31/2008 Red/Green/Green Christmas 01/01/2009 - 01/06/2009 Red/Green/Green Christmas 01/07/2009 - 01/18/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 01/19/2009 Red/Black/Green Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 01/20/2009 Red/White/Blue Presidential Inauguration 2009 01/21/2009 - 01/22/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 01/23/2009 - 01/26/2009 Red/Yellow/Red Lunar New Year 01/27/2009 - 01/29/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 01/30/2009 - 02/01/2009 North/South sides:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Yellow/White/Yellow

East/West sides:

Arizona Cardinals

Red/White/Red Super Bowl Lighting 02/02/2009 Pittsburgh Steelers - Yellow/White/Yellow Super Bowl Lighting 02/03/2009 Blue/Blue/Red Empire State Building Run-Up 02/04/2009 - 02/05/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 02/06/2009 - 02/08/2009 Red/Red/Red American Heart Association, National Wear Red Day 02/09/2009 - 02/10/2009 Purple/Purple/Yellow Westminster Kennel Club, 133rd Annual Westminster Kennel Club All-Breed Dog Show 02/11/2009 - 02/12/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 02/13/2009 - 02/15/2009 Red/Pink/White Valentine's Day 02/16/2009 Red/White/Blue President's Day 02/17/2009 - 02/22/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 02/23/2009 Blue/Green/Blue Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, Corporate Philanthropy Day 02/24/2009 - 03/01/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 03/02/2009 Orange/Orange/White National Multiple Sclerosis Society, MS Awareness Week 03/03/2009 - 03/04/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 03/05/2009 North side: Yellow

West side: Blue

South side: Green

East side: Red Major League Baseball, 2009 World Baseball Classic 03/06/2009 - 03/16/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 03/17/2009 Green/Green/Green New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, St. Patrick's Day 03/18/2009 - 03/23/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 03/24/2009 White/Red/White Major League Baseball, World Baseball Classic Champion - Japan 03/25/2009 - 03/27/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 03/28/2009 Lights off from

8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour 2009 03/29/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 03/30/2009 Green/Green/Green National Resources Defense Council, 11th Annual Forces for Nature Benefit 03/31/2009 - 04/05/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 04/06/2009 Green/Green/Green Empire State Building Sustainability 04/07/2009 Orange/Orange/White American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), ASPCA Day - Go Orange for Animals 04/08/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 04/09/2009 - 04/12/2009 Green/Pink/Yellow Easter 04/13/2009 Blue/Orange/Blue New York Mets, Opening Night 04/14/2009 - 04/15/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 04/16/2009 Blue/White/Blue New York Yankees, Opening Day 04/17/2009 - 04/21/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 04/22/2009 Green/Green/Green Earth Day and Nickelodeon "Power Down" (Lights off for 60 seconds at 9 p.m.) 04/23/2009 Green/Green/Green Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 25th Anniversary 04/24/2009 - 05/07/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 05/08/2009 Blue/Blue/Blue Police Memorial Week Kick-Off 05/09/2009 - 05/10/2009 Blue/Yellow/Blue European Union, E.U. Day 05/11/2009 Purple/Orange/White Lincoln Center, 50th Anniversary 05/12/2009 Purple/Purple/White New York University, 2009 Commencement 05/13/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 05/14/2009 Red/Red/Red 2009 AIDS Walk New York 05/15/2009 - 05/17/2009 Yellow/White/Blue Fire Department of New York, National EMS Week 05/18/2009 - 05/19/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 05/20/2009 Blue/White/Blue Columbia University, 2009 Commencement 05/21/2009 - 05/26/2009 Red/White/Blue Fleet Week/Memorial Day 05/27/2009 - 05/28/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 05/29/2009 - 05/31/2009 Blue/White/Blue Israel Tribute Committee, Salute to Israel Parade 06/01/2009 - 06/03/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 06/04/2009 Green/White/Green New York Racing Association, Belmont Stakes 06/05/2009 - 06/07/2009 Green/Green/Green Asia Society, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), and New York University Center for Dialogues - Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas 06/08/2009 Blue/Blue/Blue National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, United Nations World Ocean Day 06/09/2009 - 06/11/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 06/12/2009 - 06/14/2009 Blue/Green/Yellow Caribbean Tourism Development Company, Caribbean Week 2009 06/15/2009 Colors TBD Mets and Yankees "Subway Series", Team colors of Subway Series winner 06/16/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 06/17/2009 Red/White/Blue United States Golf Association, U.S. Open 06/18/2009 - 06/25/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 06/26/2009 - 06/28/2009 Lavender/Lavender/White Heritage of Pride, NYC Pride 2009 06/29/2009 Colors TBD Mets and Yankees "Subway Series", Team colors of Subway Series winner 06/30/2009 - 07/01/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 07/02/2009 - 07/05/2009 Red/White/Blue Independence Day 07/06/2009 - 07/13/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 07/14/2009 Blue/Yellow/White National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Centennial Anniversary 08/06/2009 - 08/13/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 08/14/2009 - 08/16/2009 Green/White/Orange Federation of Indian Associations, 29th Annual India Day Parade 08/17/2009 - 08/30/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 08/31/2009 Yellow/Yellow/Yellow United States Tennis Association, US Open Opening Night 09/01/2009 - 09/03/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 09/04/2009 - 09/07/2009 Red/White/Blue Labor Day 09/08/2009 Orange/Orange/Orange 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson's Journey on the Hudson River 09/09/2009 Pink/Pink/White Susan G. Komen for the Cure, City in Pink 09/10/2009 Orange/Orange/White Food Bank New York City, NYC Goes Orange 09/11/2009 Red/White/Blue In Memory of September 11 09/12/2009 - 09/14/2009 Yellow/Yellow/Yellow United States Tennis Association, US Open Finals Weekend 09/15/2009 Blue/Blue/Blue United Nations General Assembly 09/16/2009 Purple/Yellow/White FFAWN Foundation, GUCCI for FFAWN Day 09/17/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 09/18/2009 - 09/19/2009 Yellow/Red/Black 52nd Annual Steuben Day Parade 09/20/2009 Green/Green/Green Eid-al-Fitr 09/21/2009 - 09/23/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 09/24/2009 Red/Red/Red The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary and the Ruby Slipper Collection 09/25/2009 - 09/29/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 09/30/2009 - 10/01/2009 Red/Yellow/Red 60th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China 10/02/2009 - 10/04/2009 Blue/Blue/White American Academy of Dramatic Arts, 125th Anniversary 10/05/2009 - 10/08/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/09/2009 - 10/12/2009 Red/White/Green Columbus Day 10/13/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/14/2009 Purple/Purple/White New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Awareness Month 10/15/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/16/2009 - 10/18/2009 Yellow/Yellow/Yellow El Museo del Barrio, Grand Re-Opening 10/19/2009 White/White/White ESB Lighting 10/20/2009 Purple/Red/Red Gabrielle's Angel Foundation, Gabrielle’s Gala 10/21/2009 Red/Red/Red Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 50th Birthday 10/22/2009 Yellow/Yellow/Yellow Afterschool Alliance – Lights on Afterschool 10/23/2009 - 10/25/2009 Purple/Purple/White Alzheimer's Association, 2009 Memory Walk NOTE: Colors are listed from bottom to top as they appear from the street.

Tower lights go off every night at 2:00 AM.

<br clear="all"> During spring and fall bird migration seasons and particularly on cloudy, humid and/or foggy nights, when large numbers of birds are seen flying near the building, the tower lights are turned off. Observatory personnel on the 86th floor outdoor deck notify the engineers. The birds are attracted by the lights and there is a danger they will fly into the building and be killed.