7.5 Ways to Celebrate the 75th

You have 75th anniversary fever. You’ve assembled your International Orange outfit. You’ve baked Bridge-shaped cookies. You’re forming Bridge towers out of your mashed potatoes. Now what? Here are the top seven-and-a-half ways to celebrate this momentous year for the Golden Gate Bridge—that international icon in the heart of our national parks.

1) Just stop by for a visit. The best way to salute the Bridge is to do it in person! Come to the south Bridge plaza and enjoy dramatic visitor-experience improvements, made possible by the Parks Conservancy and Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation, in cooperation with the National Park Service and Presidio Trust. Check out the new Bridge Pavilion (opening May 8), learn Bridge history from the exhibits (don’t miss the mini Bridge tower, used in 1933 to test the design!), and choose from a wide variety of awesome new interpretive items.

Explore new trails and the recently completed Golden Gate Overlook (open May 10), savor a snack at the revamped Bridge Café (open May 8), and take a virtual hike up the Bridge cables thanks to a new Bridge Photo Experience program (starting May 8). Make the most of your visit by downloading our free app, GoGGBridge, available for iPhone and Android devices in early May.

2) Learn something new. The newly developed Bridge tours, based at the renovated Round House, are a great way to expand your span knowledge. Guides share the stories of brains, boldness, and beauty around the building of the Bridge. There’s something to delight and surprise out-of-town visitors and longtime Bay Area residents alike! Adult ticket prices start at $12.95; visit www.goldengatebridgetour.com in early May for ticket information.

3) Be a part of the Bridge. Instead of walking together on the Bridge (as we did for the 50th anniversary), stand together on Crissy Field and BE the Bridge. We’re organizing a mass gathering on May 19 to form the shape of the Golden Gate Bridge on Crissy Field—a historic moment that will be captured through aerial photography! Walk, bike, or take transit as there is very limited parking. Wear orange or red clothing and meet on the grassy airfield nearest East Beach beginning at 9 am. The photo will be taken at 11 am sharp.

4) Share a story or photo. Read amazing Bridge memories and see gorgeous Bridge photos—and then share your own. By sharing your story on Facebook and participating on Twitter or Flickr, you help craft a collective Valentine to the Bridge and join a virtual community of people who love and appreciate this majestic structure.

5) Attend one of the “75 Tributes.” Civic, cultural, and educational organizations around the Bay are holding their own celebrations of the Bridge—making the 75th anniversary year a veritable smorgasbord of fun and activity! Check our online calendar for a listing of programs, which include an “International Orange Friday” at a San Francisco Giants game (May 18), fascinating exhibits at the Marin History Museum and California Historical Society, a FOR-SITE Foundation exhibit of renowned artists’ work at Fort Point, and a wide variety of music and dance performances.

6) Make a gift of stewardship. Honor the landmark—and the landscapes—that are the pride of the Bay Area. Leave a lasting legacy by supporting education programs, anniversary improvements, and the long-term stewardship of the Bridge and the national parklands that cradle it. Give online or text “ggb75” to 20222 to make a $5 gift.

7) Join the party. You might have heard. We’re throwing the Bridge a little birthday party on May 27. The Golden Gate Festival, at Crissy Field and Marina Green, is a celebration not to be missed. Come dressed in International Orange and enjoy history exhibits, music, food, fireworks, and much, much more. Check back at www.goldengatebridge75.org for details, and look in your May 20 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle for a pullout section with festival map and details.

7.5) Download 75 more ways to celebrate the anniversary! We hope these ideas will inspire you to come up with your own ways to honor “the people’s Bridge!”