San Diego City And County join national COVID-19 memorial event Tuesday evening

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The city and county of San Diego will join communities around the country Tuesday evening by illuminating several historic buildings in an amber light to honor the nearly 400,000 Americans who have died of COVID-19.

President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration committee is leading a nationwide memorial to remember and honor lives lost to the virus. On Tuesday evening, there will be a special light show at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington, D.C. Cities and towns throughout the country have been invited to join by illuminating buildings and ringing church bells in a national moment of unity and remembrance.

At 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Mayor Todd Gloria will join the memorial by lighting multiple buildings in Balboa Park in amber light, including the California Tower, San Diego Museum of Art Museum, and the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in amber light. Additionally, the San Diego Convention Center will be illuminated in amber.

“More than 2,000 San Diego County residents have lost their lives to the coronavirus,” Gloria said. “It’s important the city of San Diego stands with President-elect Biden and communities throughout the United States in this somber occasion and memorialize their deaths. This will serve as a declaration that we must continue to take steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 and not allow more preventable deaths.”

The Museum of Us, House of Hospitality, Mingei International Museum, Casa de Balboa and other locations in Balboa Park will be illuminated in red, white and blue.

San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher announced Tuesday the County Administration Center will be bathed in amber light Tuesday evening.

Fletcher held a COVID-19 Altar De Muertos last year to honor those who have died from the pandemic.