San Francisco once again transformed its iconic Market Street into a radiant symbol of LGBTIQ+ pride, as the world’s largest rainbow laser flag returned for Pride Weekend 2025.
The city’s skyline was ablaze with 20 colossal laser beams, stretching over 4.1 miles from the Embarcadero Plaza to Twin Peaks, creating a spectacle that’s both a celebration and a statement of resilience for the global queer community.
The installation, known as WELCOME (#WelcomeSF), is the brainchild of local arts nonprofit Illuminate.
Since its debut in 2022, the project has grown in scale and ambition, with this year’s event promising the most immersive and intimate experience yet. The lasers, affectionately dubbed “gaysers” where set lower to the ground, inviting visitors to stand closer than ever and feel the beams pass just overhead.
Each night, as darkness fell, the lasers ignited, painting the night with the six vibrant colours of the Pride flag.
San Francisco’s Pride flag is more than an annual tradition; it’s a living symbol of the city’s legacy as a birthplace of LGBTQIA+ rights and activism.
Illuminate’s organisers commented,
“San Francisco doesn’t just celebrate the Pride flag, it was created here. Same-sex marriage? It started here too. In a time of global uncertainty and rising anti-LGBTQIA+ sentiment, the laser flag stands as a bold message of love, inclusion, and courage, visible for miles and inspiring awe in all who witness it."
In keeping with its grassroots ethos, the WELCOME installation was funded entirely by individual donations, with a $50,000 crowdfunding goal and no corporate sponsorship or branding. Every dollar goes directly to the lasers, permits, safety, and celebration, ensuring the event remains a pure expression of community spirit and solidarity.
Whether you’re a local or a visitor from across the globe, San Francisco’s rainbow lasers offer an unforgettable Pride experience, one that lights up the city and the hearts of all who believe in equality, visibility, and the enduring power of public love.
More details visit illuminate.org/2025
