Next week, St. Petersburg’s skyline is set to swap its usual glow for a giant rainbow as Winter Pride brings the large-scale laser installation Global Rainbow: We Rise in Light to the city. The projection will beam from the roof of the Mari Jean Hotel on Central Avenue during Winter Pride’s weeklong schedule, with a public launch gathering next Thursday at 5 p.m. and the lights turning on at dusk for three consecutive nights.
Where and when to see the lights
The Global Rainbow beams are scheduled to run as part of Winter Pride’s program next week (Feb. 15–22) and will be projected from the roof of the Mari Jean Hotel at 2349 Central Avenue for three evenings beginning next Thursday. According to Winter Pride Saint Pete, the public launch gathering will start at 5 p.m. in front of the Mari Jean and the lights will switch on at dusk. The Mari Jean’s contact page confirms the hotel’s Central Avenue address and notes the projection will originate above COCKtail, the on-site venue that will host the viewing area.
Who’s mounting the installation
The installation will be provided by Global Rainbow, the international laser art project led by artist Yvette Mattern. Her large-scale laser works have appeared in cities including New York, Miami and London, as local coverage has reported, and now the project is headed for St. Pete. As Watermark Out News notes, Winter Pride is fundraising to pay for the project, and organizers say Inclusive Care Group provided early backing.
Why organizers say the beams matter
Organizers are pitching Global Rainbow as more than a flashy light show. They frame it as a statement of visibility in response to recent local debates over Pride-related public art. Rob Hall, executive director of Winter Pride Saint Pete, told organizers, “This is about more than one crosswalk,” and said the lights aim to answer efforts that would erase LGBTQ+ presence from public spaces, according to COCKtail’s Winter Pride page.
How far the colors will reach
Organizers say the beams will be powerful enough to be visible from up to 60 miles away, and donor packages include opportunities to join leadership at a pre-lighting event to “flip the switch” and help fund the installation, according to Winter Pride Saint Pete’s Global Rainbow page. Local reporting emphasizes that while initial support has arrived, additional donations are still being sought to guarantee the full three-night run…