SAN FRANCISCO – California is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Greek Independence in a variety of ways. From Greek flags flying over various cities and landmarks lit in blue and white, Greek pride in the historic bicentennial of 1821 is on view up and down the state.

In San Francisco, a patriotic young man dressed as an Evzone carried a large Greek flag on Lombard Street and stood guard by the Greek flag at the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel in Nob Hill.

In San Francisco, a patriotic young man dressed as an Evzone carried a large Greek flag on Lombard Street in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Greek Independence. Photo: Courtesy of Taso Zografos

At the famed Santa Monica Pier, the Pacific Wheel will be lit blue and white and feature a waving Greek flag on Thursday, March 25 in recognition of Greece’s historic bicentennial.

Pacific Park joins other landmarks all over the world to celebrate 200 years of modern Greece by lighting the Pacific Wheel blue and white on the evening of March 25th.

The celebration of the Greek Revolution of 1821 has been an official holiday in Greece for nearly two centuries and marks the day that the Greek Revolution began against the Ottoman Empire.

In celebration of the bicentennial of Greek Independence, a patriotic young man dressed as an Evzone stood guard by the Greek flag at the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel in Nob Hill, San Francisco. Photo: Courtesy of Taso Zografos

In partnership with United Hellenic American Societies (UHAS) and the Greek Consulate, the Pacific Wheel will shine blue and white with an 90-foot tall animated representation of the Greek flag.

Check out the new video of Greek Independence in California, created by Anthony Obester here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vseiGkC90yE&feature=youtu.be

This special light program will run at dusk (around 7 PM) to midnight on Thursday, March 25. The best views of the Pacific Wheel light programs are from the Santa Monica Pier boardwalk just west of the Amusement Park or on the beaches south of the Pier.

The Pacific Wheel at the Santa Monica Pier will be lit in blue and white for the 200th anniversary of Greek Independence. Photo: Courtesy of Taso Zografos

For those who can’t make it to this special lighting event in person, the lights on the Pacific Wheel may be viewed on Pacific Park’s live-streaming webcams: https://pacpark.com/santa-monica-pier-live-cams/wheel/.