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Navy Pier dazzles with holiday drone show ahead of Christmas
As Chicago counts down to Christmas, Navy Pier lit up the night sky on Friday—not with fireworks, but with a dazzling holiday drone show.
CHICAGO - As Chicago counts down to Christmas, Navy Pier lit up the night sky on Friday—not with fireworks, but with a dazzling holiday drone show.
It was the second in a two-part series launched this season.
In partnership with Navy Pier, the magical display was created by Sky Elements, a U.S.-based drone light company.
The display was part of the pier’s "Light Up the Lake" winter installation, which runs through Sunday, Jan. 5.
"It’s just something new and exciting," said Dylan Hankey, director of programming & production at Navy Pier. "We're always trying to bring new things for all of our guests throughout the year, and if you've never seen a drone show before, it's pretty remarkable."
In a carefully-crafted grid laid out in Polk Bros Park, a colorful array of drones was prepared for takeoff on Friday evening.
"There’s something very special about the clarity of a drone show," said Hankey.
For the second and final drone show of the season, a team of pilots choreographed a spectacular display with 400 drones.
"They’re all synchronized together, they lay them out in a grid, and they calibrate, and then they let a lot of the computers do the work from there," said Hankey.
Hankey said the holiday-themed show featured designs such as Santa Claus and iconic city landmarks.
Navy Pier’s "Light Up the Lake" installation also offers a festive experience for families, including an ice slide.
"We have trees, ornaments; we have our giant light-up tunnel," Hankey said. "We wanted to make it feel like the whole pier was activated, so you can walk the front to the back of the pier and be surrounded by holiday lights."
The first drone show took place on Friday, Dec. 6, while the second and final show took over the sky on Friday, Dec. 13. Each lasted about 10 minutes.
Navy Pier’s fireworks return at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, 21, and 28. Then, on New Year’s Eve, fireworks will once again light up the sky at midnight. Click here for more details.
For more on Navy Pier's "Light Up the Lake" programming, follow this link.