The dazzling LED forest titled Entwined at Peacock Meadow is still up well past its original March 12 removal date, but it’s coming down after a Sunday night closing party with the Extra Action Marching Band.
The now-annual holiday season-through-late winter/early spring LED forest display Entwined was supposed to come down on March 12, nearly three full weeks ago. And the already waterlogged (but still functioning!) light-up public art exhibit was, like the rest of the city, walloped by an atmospheric river storm. That led the SF Parks Alliance to cancel the exhibit’s March 11 closing party, as they announced on Twitter, “Unfortunately, the Entwined closing party scheduled for this Saturday has been cancelled due to rain. You can still stop by the installation which will be lit up every day until March 12.”
But wait! Here it is nearly three whole weeks past March 12, and as you can see from the image above taken when we visited Wednesday night, the Entwined LED forest is still very much standing and lit up. The SF Parks Alliance announced on Wednesday that “It’s your last chance to visit #Entwined in Golden Gate Park, and we mean it this time!,” adding that “Entwined will finally be removed this Monday (4/3).”
It’s your last chance to visit #Entwined in Golden Gate Park, and we mean it this time!✨⏰
— SF Parks Alliance (@SFParksAlliance) March 29, 2023
From the lights on the Bay Bridge to the glowing trees at Entwined, SF light installations don’t seem to want to come down, but Entwined will finally be removed this Monday (4/3)🦚 pic.twitter.com/FuisnJ4JoE
And the canceled closing party has been uncanceled, it's now scheduled for Sunday, April 2 from 5-8 p.m. An Entwined Closing Party - 2023 Facebook invite says that “April 2nd is the last day the art installation will be open this season, so join us for one more night of magic and fun!” The public invite also notes there will be “Live music with The Extra Action Marching Band from 6-8PM” that evening, and adds, “You're welcome to stay until 10 PM when the lights go off for the last time this season.”
That said, we should clarify that things are not exactly dry out there, and anyone attending is well-advised to wear a good pair of boots. The floods are not as severe as they were after January’s storms, but there is a still a little “Lake Entiwned” effect to navigate. (Yes, the lower 'mirror refelections' in the image below reperesent where the standing water is.)
Most of the installation does not have standing water, but roughly one-fourth of it does. SFist observed the now-flooded areas to be about 20 yards by ten yards, and a couple inches deep, with muddy conditions affecting the entire installation area.
There are a few chairs, but these two will not be good for sitting in because of the accumulated water.
Other chairs found around the exhibit are fine for sitting in, but there aren't enough of them that you should anticipate a seat at Sunday night’s proceedings.
And there’s other unrelated complications for Entwined, and all of the art created by this artist Charles Gadeken. “Where Entwined was built was at the Box Shop, and we’re losing our lease,” Gadeken told SFist in January. “We are trying to find a new home and taking in donations.”
The Box Shop has identified what may be their new building in Bayshore, but is seeking donations from the community to acquire it. According to a Box Shop press release, “We are seeking donors to help us raise $3M to help us acquire a new property and make business-needed improvements to a new $8.5M space in the same neighborhood.”
Much like the Bay Lights on the Bay Bridge, Entwined didn’t go dark when it was scheduled to. Though this seems purposeful rather than a glitch, and you’ve got a few more nights to bask in these Peacock Meadow Entwined lights.
Images: Joe Kukura, SFist
