San Francisco Streets Aglow - Page 2

At this year's event, author Kathy Kikkert "will present her new book, Hollywood Signs, and Kurt Kraler from Canada will add international interest discussing his book, Signs That Define Toronto," says Homan."

A preservation panel is planned with "two 'lightning rounds' on what neon preservation is all about," she adds. "Philosophically, and on particular projects, we really wanted to open that discussion about this often-misunderstood topic."

With hands-on activities, tours, and loads of meet-and-greet opportunities, 'Neon Speaks' offers illumination on every level. Here are just a few of the eagerly anticipated programs in this year's line-up:

• 'Learning in Las Vegas: Stardust' is a show-and-tell by neon artist and sign maker Bill Concannon that focuses on the world-famous neon that once set the Stardust Casino aglow.

• 'Storytelling with Light: Inside the Disney Parks,' presented by Disney Imagineering's Steve Spiegel, delves into "the history of luminous tubing in Walt Disney Company parks throughout the world."

• Neon walking tours are scheduled for two weekends, led by Bay Area photographer and historian Devi L. Dahl. "Tickets are selling fast," Randall says, "but they're still available for the second weekend, and also for the shop tour with Jim Rizzo at Neon Works in Oakland."

• Enjoy a 'Neon Breakfast' with New Yorkers Tom Rinaldi and Rolando Pujol. These curators of neon culture will regale visitors with vintage neon signs, from donut shops to steak houses. Rinaldi is the author of New York Neon and the 'New York Neon' blog, and Pujol is the curator of the blog 'Retrologist.'

• Join Homan, Barna, and co-presenter Jim Van Buskirk, author of Celluloid San Francisco, for 'Market Movie Marquees: Neon Nirvana.' This is an online tour of San Francisco's Market Street in which guests can discover bygone neon signs from the Tenderloin district, Union Square shops, and interviews given by local cinema historians.

Intrigued but still wondering exactly what 'Neon Speaks' is? Randall brings it all down to Earth. "We're just a bunch of crazy people who like neon, and we're just talking to each other—that's the beauty of 'Neon Speaks.'"

To experience 'Neon Speaks' for yourself, follow the links on the 'Neon Speaks' home page. There you can register for online programs, and link to the schedule page where you can see what's free and exactly what you have to purchase an online event passport for.