Celebrated annually from May 6–12, National Nurses Week is a moment to shine a light on nurses’ dedication and positive impact on health and wellness. With past activities such as landmark illuminations, social media campaigns, and public engagement events, we are committed to celebrating the nursing profession and sharing it with a broad audience. Each National Nurses Week, American Nurses Association, and the Foundation team up with nurses and nurse advocates nationwide, along with corporations and foundations, to express our collective support for the nursing community.

This May, the nation will solemnly come together to honor fallen fire service heroes during the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend—the official national tribute recognizing firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty during the previous year.

As part of this distinguished observance, landmarks, buildings, fire departments, and communities nationwide are invited to participate in Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters. Illuminating your structure in red serves as a dignified symbol of remembrance and a visible expression of support and comfort for the families of the fallen.

Renowned landmarks, including One World Trade Center in New York City, the Wrigley Building in Chicago, and Reunion Tower in Dallas, have participated in this tribute by lighting their structures in red to honor fallen firefighters.

The Memorial Weekend will include a Candlelight Service on Saturday, May 2, 2026, followed by the National Memorial Service on Sunday, May 3, 2026. Lighting the Philadelphia skyline in red on May 2, 2026—or at any time between April 26 and May 3, 2026—will contribute to a nationwide demonstration of respect, remembrance, and unity in support of surviving families.

Those wishing to participate in honoring these heroes are encouraged to contact Donna Clark at dclark@firehero.org to confirm participation. For additional information about Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters, please visit: https://weekend.firehero.org/events/memorial-weekend/light-night-fallen-firefighters/. Thank you for your consideration of this meaningful opportunity to honor our nation’s fallen firefighters and express solidarity with their families.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) is a birth defect that affects 52,000 babies each year. It occurs when a baby's diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs into the chest cavity and preventing lung growth. Globally, approx. 30-50% of babies born with CDH do not survive. The cause is still unknown, which calls for more research and awareness. www.cdhi.org 

The colors chosen for the cause are blue, pink, and yellow (if plausible). If only one color is available our preference is Blue. 

• Blue (RGB Code #3399FF) 

• Pink (RGB Code #FF99CC) 

• Yellow (RGB Code #FFFF33) 

CDH Research International is a 30-year-old non-profit working with 1000's of patients in 84 countries. We are the world's oldest and largest non-profit for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. 

Many locations around the world light up on April 19th for Global CDH Awareness Day. https://cdhi.org/2025lightup

On April 17, 2026, the global bleeding disorders community will come together to celebrate World Hemophilia Day. This year’s theme is, "Diagnosis: First step to care,” highlighting the critical importance of diagnosis—the essential first step in treatment and care. Last year, Eagles Stadium, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, One Liberty Place, Symphony House Condos, PECO Crown Lights, and TRIAD1828 joined us in this celebration. We would love to light up the entire commonwealth red for World Hemophilia Day to raise critical awareness for this rare disease and uplift those affected by it. Landmarks across the commonwealth will join us as well. I thank you for your support and consideration of this request!

World Parkinson's Day. Your participation helped shine a powerful light on awareness and hope for people living with Parkinson's. April 11th is World Parkinson's Day. #sparkthenight #pdavengers #worldparkinsonsday #parkinsonsawareness

Every year, on March 31st, we celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility--a day to highlight and honor the contributions of transgender Americans and advocate for their equal rights. The City of Philadelphia will host a flag-raising ceremony during the day on this day, so it would be great to round it out by lighting up the City that night.

This annual event brings together families from across the country to remember their loved ones, light candles in their honor, and hold space for the more than 1.2 million American lives lost to COVID-19. While much of the world has moved on, countless families are still living with the weight of their loss, still mourning, still remembering, still finding their way through grief. This ceremony, and the lights that accompany it, are for them. These families still need to know that they are not alone and their loved one mattered. #loveforthelost

March is Red Cross Month nationwide. Each year since 1943, March is proclaimed as Red Cross Month, and highlights the organization's role in collecting and distributing lifesaving blood, providing disaster relief and supporting military families and veterans. The month serves as a reminder of the need for community support in ensuring the Red Cross can continue its mission to help people in need every eight minutes.

This year's Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival hosted by the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia 501c3 will be taking place on Saturday, March 28th & Sunday, March 29th in Fairmount Park in front of the Horticultural Center. Last year's event had about 25,000 attendees, may of whom were visitors outside of Philadelphia. We would love to "Paint the Town Pink" in honor of this festival, if available! We're hoping the Cherry Blossom Trees will also be in full bloom at that time as well.

CureGrin (Gri disorders - GRIA, GRID, GRIK, GRIN) are just a small part of diseases classified as a Rare Disease. Rare Diseases, are a small fraction of diseases however, impacting over millions. Often called the Orphan Diseases because so many are just not aware of them. These are diseases that diagnosis are difficult and lengthy, very few treatments exist, and continued information hard to obtain. " Light Up for Rare" would most definitely bring strong (and much-needed) awareness for the rare disease community.

International Angelman Day (IAD) is an annual event held on February 15th and observed by over 50 charitable/support organizations based in over 40 countries around the world. People with AS have intellectual, developmental, and physical impairment, struggling to walk and often suffering debilitating seizures - AS has no cure.
Awareness efforts, such a lighting architecture and buildings, in honor of International Angelman Day increases public knowledge of the conditions, builds inclusion and understanding, and most importantly spreads the message that the global collective of Angelman syndrome organizations is working tirelessly to bring practical treatments to Angelman syndrome as quickly as possible.

February marks the beginning of American Heart Month, a moment when communities across the country come together to shine a light on the No. 1 killer of Americans: heart disease. In just a few weeks—on Friday, February 6, National Wear Red Day—we’re launching a powerful, citywide call to action.

The 20th Annual Lemon Ball is Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation’s signature charity gala, held each January to raise funds for childhood cancer research and family support. This year’s event celebrates both the 20th anniversary of the Lemon Ball and what would have been our founder Alex Scott’s 30th birthday. We would love to see the Philadelphia skyline lit in yellow the evening of the event to honor Alex’s legacy, spotlight two decades of progress, and raise awareness for children fighting cancer. Follow along at @alexslemonade for updates and stories from the celebration.

Requested by Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson

#PositivelyPurple is a global movement that celebrates and draws attention to the contribution of employees with disabilities around the world. PurpleSpace have been leading this movement since 2017 as a mark of respect to the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) held annually on 3rd December. HSBC's US Ability Employee Resource Group (ERG) is supporting Purple Space by reaching out to cities and buildings and light of purple on Dec 3rd in honor of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and we'd love your support.