People around the world usually gather outside on December 31st to watch mesmerizing fireworks displays. But with the continued increase in coronavirus cases, the Space Needle in Seattle decided to make the indoor experience accessible – and it was bigger, trippier, and more dazzling than ever before.
Instead of the regular fireworks display at the Space Needle, officials of the iconic landmark chose to create a digital light show experience with striking images of life, science, and illusions that were out of this world.
As noted on the Space Needle website, the organizers used sky-mapping technology and video footage to create the spectacle, which was only visible on the screen. People who visited the monument in person saw only the Space Needle lit up in a magenta color.
Twitter users have been quick to comment on how epic – and stunning – the New Year’s Eve celebration was.
Many Twitter users compared the event to a hallucinatory experience.
Others called the show the product of alien collaboration or the work of a science fiction dystopia.
While it’s not exactly a connection to life outside of this world, Terry Morgan, the visionary behind the show, told the Seattle Times that it’s the product of a vivid dream he had earlier this year.
“I was half unconscious in the dream and the sky was beautiful colors and faces, all like clouds in the sky,” Morgan told the Times. “And it really was one of those historic dreams.”
Morgan decided to put the idea to Karen Olson, the chief operating officer and chief marketing officer at the Space Needle, and as the Times reported, the concept was developed in just a few months.
“This was not something planned for a year,” said Morgan. “Once the Space Needle decided that they weren’t doing fireworks physically due to the social limitations caused by COVID, this really came out and became an alternative.”
It may have been just an alternative, but for people who have watched the event, it may just be the future.