Niagara Falls To Light Up Tonight in Honor of Bi Visibility Day

Niagara Falls will be lit up in the pink, purple, and blue colors of the bisexual flag this evening in honor of Bi Visibility Day. The rainbow illumination will be streamed live for those who wish to witness the colorful spectacle but are unable to attend in person. The special custom illumination display was announced by BiRequest, a New York City-based meetup group, on their social media and website.

“Celebrate Bi Visibility Day with Lights @ Niagara Falls,” the group announced on Twitter.

According to their website, BiRequest (birequest.org) is teaming with the Niagara Falls Illumination Board to present the special event tonight, Thursday, September 23, for 15 minutes beginning at 10:00 p.m. (Eastern).

The famed waterfalls straddling the border between New York and Canada are illuminated most evenings. The practice first began in 1925, and the regular lighting display is often changed into different themed programs for various charitable events and causes. The lights are funded and operated by The Niagara Falls Illumination Board.

Banks of energy-efficient LED lighting are housed in multiple locations at Niagara Falls, and together are used to project a breathtaking display of colors softened by the mists floating in the air.

The Bi Visibility Day celebration at Niagara Falls can be viewed on EarthCam’s regular streams from Niagara Falls. The Horseshoe Falls cam can be viewed here, while the panorama cam can be viewed here.

Also known as International Celebrate Bisexuality Day, Bi Visibility Day is observed every year on September 23. Bisexual rights activists Wendy Curry, Michael Page (the creator of the bisexual flag), and Gigi Raven Wilbur created the first unofficial celebration in 1998 to provide a form of recognizing and celebrating the oft-overlooked bisexual community. According to an interview with Curry that appeared in Our Fence, the trio was commiserating about the marginalization of bisexuals in the community at the time, and Raven reportedly suggested they throw a big party in their honor. Curry said the date of September 23 was chosen because it was Gigi’s upcoming birthday. The day had its first official recognition the following year.

Niagara Falls is comprised of three waterfalls. Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the three and is sometimes referred to as Canadian Falls as it sits on the border between Canada and New York. American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls lie in the U.S. The stunning natural landmark has been a popular tourist destination since the early 19th century and is also popular with newlyweds and honeymooners.

You can watch a video of the current illumination program at Niagara Falls entitled “Inspired by Nature” below.