Yuri's Night 2019

Role: Host & Emcee
Years: 2019
Location: California Science Center

Space Party!

Yuri’s Night is an annual celebration of the anniversary of the first human who made it to space - will launch 160 worldwide events on April 12 in what organizers say is a special time for human spaceflight.

The event is a celebration of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and his historic first flight on April 12, 1961. Yuri’s Night was founded in 2000 to help the public understand the importance of human spaceflight. The year 2019 will be “an amazing year” for spaceflight worldwide, Yuri’s Night organizers said in a press release.

Yuri's Night Crowd with the Space Shuttle Endeavour in the background while Gray Bright is on stage

Keynote Host

I’ve had the privilege of hosting Yuri’s Night for many years now. It’s one of the most fun and unique events I’ve ever been to, and a true honor to be involved. With so much Space industry in LA the event is a true celebration of Space, and the brilliant people who work so hard to make Space observation and exploration a reality.

Gray Bright red carpet at Yuri's Night 2019

The World Space Party

This year’s epic Yuri’s Night party will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins’ historic first mission to land people on the surface of the moon. Join us Saturday April 6, 2019 under the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Pavilion for an incredible experience of our place in the cosmos!

Dancing Under the Space Shuttle Endeavour and Silent Disco in the Aquarium! This year we are featuring TWO rooms of epic dance music following the live stage show!

FEATURING
NASA Astronaut Story Musgrave
Bill Nye: The Science Guy
Mark “Forger” Stucky, Virgin Galactic’s 1st Pilot Astronaut
Jessica Encell Coleman, Founder of The Magic of Human Connection
Gray Bright, MC & Host
Rod Roddenberry, Founder of Roddenberry Foundation

SPACE AMBASSADORS
Heidi Roddenberry:: President of the Roddenberry Foundation
Geoffrey Notkin:: President of the National Space Society
Mara Hinter:: Director of Business Development for MatterHackers
Kevin J DeBruin:: A Former NASA JPL Rocket Scientist, American Ninja Warrior, & Space Educator
Amir Blachman:: VP of Strategic Development for Axiom Space
Catherine Machin:: Worlds highest crowdfunded Space Artist
Estevan Guzman:: An artist and animator at the Griffith Observatory
Jannicke Mikkelsen :: VR film Director and cutting edge Cinematographer
Glentrez Thornton:: Founder and CEO of Modernly Nerdish
Barbara Belvisi:: Founder and CEO at Interstellar Lab

AWARDS
3D Printer by MatterHackers (LA Zone)
Costume Award (10:30pm main stage)
Catherine Machin’s 8 x 4 foot Galaxy with Roadster (silent auction)
OPT give away of astrophoto on metal (External Tank)

MUSIC
Isaiah Martin

INTERACTIVES
Space Art Cars pre entrance that will blow your mind! Mr. Fusion, UFO, and a Delorean Time Machine. Come around 5:30pm to get great photo’s with droids/characters and still have time to see Rod’s tank dive Q & A at 6:30pm.

Kelp Forrest: NASA-JPL installations and volunteers expertly assist deep water Q&A with Rod Roddenberry at 6:30pm followed by live DJ silent disco on 3 channels from 8pm -12am.

Samuel Oschin Pavilion (Shuttle room): two bars, free snacks, immersive art by Colony, RedPill merging the real world with the augmented world, Interactive art by Matt Elson and Vortex projection mapping the RS25 engine. DIY by SparkleBlob, take home Endeavour photo with props, live drawing, facilitated group Human Connection experience, free glow bracelets, VIP lounge and much more!

Aerospace community outreach in LA Zone:
Virgin Orbit, The Spaceship Company, Virgin Galactic, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Matterport (3D printing in and for space), UCSB Experimental Cosmology, Intergalactic Travel Bureau/Orbital Perspective, Columbia Memorial Space Center, ISS Above, Carbon 121, JPL.

Virtual Reality in Endeavour Together
FuzeFX Gagarin’s capsule and the LEM, SpaceVR with orbital perspectives, Virgin Galactic bringing a tour of Virgin Galactic, and USC Institute for Creative Technologies bringing AI of Al Worden, Apollo 15.

Central Organizer: bar, Rock Petting Zoo by Blackrock City Observatory, The Planetary Society, The New Right Stuff, Essentia water, Yuri’s Night Merch, and Featured art by Catherine Machin, Estevan Guzman (live drawing at 10pm).

Apollo 11 Memorabilia and Fine Art Gallery in River Zone: Exceptional artists Doug Forrest, Chris Calle including sketch art made by his father, Paul Calle, onsite as the Apollo 11 crew was suiting up. Marilynn Flynn, Simon Kregar, Pamela Lee, Mark Pestana, Michelle Rouch, and Aldo Spadoni.

Astrophotography Garden at the External Tank: livestreaming deep space with a photo give away by OPT.