Seattle’s Great Wheel, candy canes during holidays
Seattle’s Great Wheel greets residents and visitors every night in a dazzling salute. There are 500,000 LED lights embellishing this ferris wheel, adorning the skyline for miles.
Perched on the shoreline at Pier 57, it stands 175 feet (53.3 m) high, and extends 40 feet (12.2 m) over the waters of Elliott Bay.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia
The ferris wheel is open for riding year round and in all weather, click here.
There is one man who lights up the Wheel: Gerry Hall. He is in charge of the lights, including repairing broken ones (they repel down the ferris wheel).
While his job title is General Manager, and light displays were not originally under the job description, he took an interest in the lights and started programming designs as a hobby. He creates the mesmerizing light design from his laptop in his living room.
Seattle and the Puget Sound
The displays have become more sophisticated and elaborate over the four years since the Wheel was constructed, with flashing, swirling, and even messages. There are holiday themes, like the candy canes pictured here, and other Seattle-based themes.
Home football light shows are a big hit, including a recent time-lapsed spelling of S-e-a-h-a-w-k-s, proud Seattle’s National Football League team. Just last week I was watching a Seahawks game when they showed the Great Wheel radiating blue and green (team colors) with a flashing football spinning in the center.
He receives requests of all kinds, and in a recent interview said that “gender reveals” are a current favorite. Couples expecting a baby who do not know the gender yet, stand in view of the Wheel. Their doctor or friend find out the gender, call it in to Mr. Hall, and pink or blue flashes up for the expecting couple.
Photo: Geoff Vlcek, Courtesy My Modern Met
I once arrived in Seattle by boat at night, having come from Victoria. Glowing purple lights adorned the entire Wheel, bejeweling the waters below.
It was a passionate greeting saying, “Welcome to this spirited city.”
Photo credit: Athena Alexander unless otherwise specified.
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Jet Eliot 
Beautiful wheel!!
I took my two granddaughters on it for a great view of Seattle’s Metropolitan landscape; plus watching the expressions on my G.D. faces while the wheel brought us higher than some of Seattle’s historic blogs. Great fun
What a great grandmother you are SWI, I am sure it was a huge thrill for them. I want to take a ride on the Wheel next time I visit there, but hearing about it going higher than the historic buildings gives me a good idea. Many thanks, my friend~~
Reblogged this on Carny Summer.
Thanks for the re-blog, Washe Koda~~
Amazing lights wheel!
Thank you, PD — when I am visiting here, wherever I am in Seattle, I look for those amazing lights. You can see why. Many thanks!
Truly fascinating! I like the idea of having a great wheel with impressive lights like this in all year round – I wish to take a ride into it one day! So many things to see in the USA!!
So true, Indah — so many things to see in the USA! I’m glad you enjoyed Seattle’s Wheel. Thanks for visiting today.
How delightful!! What a great job, yes?…bringing wonder and joy to so many. Hey, that describes you, too! 🙂
Dearest Nan, you flatter me. Thanks so much. I think it’s cool that he just made this into a hobby and has gotten better and better at it, and yes, brought wonder and joy to so many. Many thanks–and aloha soon!
What a great landmark for Seattle! Such a creative way to brighten up a skyline.
Thanks, Jet – and have a wonderful week!
We all know they have some dark skies in Seattle, so I too think it’s a great way to brighten up their skyline. Always a delight to hear from you, pc. You have a wonderful week too, my friend~~
These are the modern high- tech Ferris wheels. The ones I rode while I was a kid were a joke but it was fun. Thank you Jet! 🙂
Me, too, HJ. The fun thing about this one is you can enjoy it without riding it, see it day or night. Always a delight to have you visit, HJ. I hope your week is going well.
We saw the wheel when we flew into Seattle on our way to California. Unfortunately it wasn’t lit up but still lovely to see from the air.
I feel very old when I say that in my day gender reveals came in the delivery room. To the best of my recollection there was no Ferris wheel present. 🙂
It is lovely to see from the air, I always look for it. As you are a nurse, I can see why a ferris wheel doesn’t quite click for a gender reveal, and I agree with you. My best wishes for a sweet week. 🙂
Lovely photographs although I prefer to only see these and not participate in anything that in any way moves around with a possible sheer drop, haha.
Peta
Yes, that is the beauty of Seattle’s Great Wheel, Peta–you don’t have to be on it to enjoy it. Thanks for your visit~~
Great post…great pictures…love the way the lights at night light up the water front!! I was watching the same Seahawk game when they showed the great wheel glowing blue and green!! Love it!
This comment made me titter with joy, Kirt. I know how familiar you are with the Seattle area, and I really appreciate your kind words. I enjoy Seattle a lot, it’s a fun city to write about. And I, too, love it that we were watching the same football game!!
Oh look at that wheel! Seattle at its best 🙂
It’s a beauty, isn’t it, Christy? My thanks for your visit today~~
Wow! It is beautiful, and making it shine continuously must be a busy job. Love the “gender reveals” idea 🙂
It really lights up the city, and the designs are so very clever. I’m glad you enjoyed it, Helen. Thanks so much. 🙂
Wonderful post and photos. I love all the lights and displays this time of year and how lucky for those in Seattle to have their skyline and bay brightened by so many different colors and designs.
THanks so much, ACI. I agree, such a beautiful way to highlight this lovely city. 🙂
What a great ferris wheel, love the idea of the gender reveal, that’s doing it in style!
The fun thing is, Andrea, new ideas keep rolling off of this Ferris wheel. I appreciate your visit, and wish you a happy weekend.
And you Jet, I’ll be spending some of it reading Golden Gate Graveyard!
Of course I love hearing that, Andrea. 🙂
it is beautiful, Jet and thanks to Mr. Hall who lights it with variety of color schemes. love the “gender reveals” idea! 🙂
Thanks so much, Lola, for popping by. It is fun to see the light shows in cities today, I hope to see the lit-up fountain in Chicago one day too. 🙂
Another lovely post revealing what marvelous fun our Pacific cities can be.
The gender reveal cracked me up, reminding me of a story a nurse once told us while my late husband was in the hospital. Apparently the technician who did the sonogram for a couple pronounced a boy, commenting on the size of his ‘private equipment’. Turns out a girl was born and it was a different appendage the husband had been bragging over!!!
Happy weekend to you and yours.
Fun story, Gunta. Many thanks for your visit, and you, too, have a happy weekend.
The Seattle wheel looks so beautiful, and sounds like Gerry does his very best to take care of it, one of his big loves of his life 🙂 Love that it lights up every night – it is a great sight from your photos and I bet even more so in real life. And visitors must like to see it too. Here in Melbourne (Australia), we also have a similar big wheel. Unfortunately it doesn’t light up as much as Seattle’s, and you city gives us something to look up to and take a leaf out of a book from 🙂
By the way, I came from Sue’s blog 🙂
I recognized your name from Sue’s end-of-the-year post, Mabel. I am making my through her list, and am delighted to have you stop by. Thank you for your visit and lovely comment on the Seattle’s beautiful wheel. I like knowing there is a lit-up ferris wheel in Melbourne, too. Thank you!
Such a fun post, Jet. The LED lighting displays must be stunning and the Seattle Wheel so attractive! Have a Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.
Thanks so very much, Iris. There are many stunning scenes in Seattle, natural and man-made, but the Seattle Wheel is definitely one of my favorites. Bright, cheerful, and always a surprise. My best wishes to you, too, for a happy holiday season.
Love it! It’s been years since Ive been to Seattle! It’s a very neat city!
Yes, it is a very neat city — thanks for dropping by, Resa~~
That’s so cool. A wheel lit by the spirit of the community.
You expressed it well, Gail — thank you for your visit!
I love the Great Wheel, especially during game days 🙂
Thanks so much, sunnydaysinseattle. That’s a beautiful city you have there. 🙂
How can I find out what light pattern is going to be up today at the wheel, if I want to know before heading there.