CLEVELAND (April 16, 2025) – Destination Cleveland, the destination marketing and management organization for Cuyahoga County, tonight unveiled the
Illuminate CLE lighting experience at a community event on Downtown's Public Square.
The bold lighting initiative combines animated and synchronized light, custom music from Cleveland musicians and authentic voices who speak to Cleveland’s personality and identity. The experience runs every night, with an approximately six-minute programmed “show” running at the top of each hour from sundown until 11 p.m. For the rest of each hour, the Terminal Tower’s nightly color theme will extend onto other buildings and the landscape around Public Square. New shows are expected to launch twice each year, with the next show launching in time for the 2025 holiday season.
In addition to making Public Square a visitor destination after dark, Illuminate CLE is a permanent installation that will provide a more welcoming and pleasant experience for visitors to the area and increase the feeling of safety in and around Public Square. The new lighting enhances the 2016 transformation of Public Square and highlights the
area’s built environment – both the updated park and the surrounding buildings.
“Lighting innovation is part of Cleveland’s DNA, with April 19 marking the 146
th anniversary of Charles F. Brush’s first public demonstration of electric street lighting on Public Square,” said David Gilbert, president and CEO of Destination Cleveland. “And with Illuminate CLE, Cleveland becomes the first city in Ohio to develop and install permanent fixtures to light a major public space with experiential lighting on a nightly basis. This project is an example of how we can enhance experiences for visitors and residents through inclusive, public-private collaboration.”
Destination Cleveland funded half of the $5 million project on Public Square, which is the organization’s most significant place-building initiative yet. Substantial financial support was provided by The City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County with additional funding coming from KeyBank, The Reinhold W. Erikson Fund of the Cleveland Foundation, The Sherwin-Williams Foundation, PNC, Huntington, KJK and TurnDev.
Destination Cleveland worked with Solon-based Vincent Lighting Systems to design, install and program the lights for Illuminate CLE. Other partners included Osborn Engineering, Independence Construction, Lakeland Electric and Downtown Cleveland, Inc. All music was produced by Cleveland-based music production company Other Animal and features Cleveland artists including rock journeyman Ray Flanagan, pop star Chayla Hope and rap legend Krayzie Bone alongside DJ $crilla. Other featured musicians and voices include Christy Fader, Jake Fader, King Rem, Nate Saggio, Jim Stewart and Joe Tomino, Mario Beverly, Wesley Bright, Alfredo Guerrieri, January Keaton, Rachael Love, Theresa May, Dan Millice, Lefthand Recording and Blakwall Studios.
The storyline that speaks to Cleveland’s identity is woven throughout the show and is performed by local voiceover artists, all synced to the vivid display of animated lights. Illuminate CLE builds on the legacy of K&D Management’s iconic Terminal Tower light displays, extending the Tower’s color themes across Public Square. Since 2016, K&D has overseen the operations of the Tower’s lights to represent Cleveland’s diverse and vibrant community spirit.
All the property owners of buildings surrounding Public Square were crucial to the success of the project as they allowed Destination Cleveland to project light onto and add fixtures to their buildings
to make our community feel even more connected, walkable, and alive after dark: K&D Group, 200 Public Square, Bedrock, Hotel Cleveland, KeyCenter, Jack Cleveland Casino, The Soldiers & Sailors Monument, Old Stone Church, The Howard M. Metzenbaum U.S. Courthouse and The Standard Apartments.
In addition to what Destination Cleveland unveiled tonight, Illuminate CLE is advancing lighting improvements on Shaker Square in partnership with Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. The organization is also in conversation with 200 Public Square, Cuyahoga County, the City of Cleveland and others about innovative lighting improvements that can build upon this initial work. More illuminated experiences down Euclid Avenue, over to The Malls and onto bridges and other buildings are also being explored.
Please Advise
This show features lighting and sound effects that may be disruptive to those sensitive to bright lights or loud noises.
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ABOUT DESTINATION CLEVELAND: Destination Cleveland is Cleveland’s destination marketing and management organization. The private, non-profit organization’s mission is to stimulate economic growth by attracting people and connecting them to experiences that illustrate Cleveland’s diversity, creativity and contagious passion. In 2023, visitation increased for the third straight year to 18.34 million visits. For more information, visit www.thisiscleveland.com.