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RIP Dan Fontes, you will be much missed by the neon community. We treasure these photos by Jan Simon of Dan telling the story of discovering the Wonderlite neon collection and the journey to donate it to @letterformarchive. Thankful for Dan’s generous spirit and talent. Search for all the tributes to his legacy as a muralist and an Oakland native son. Thankful for Julie who stood by Dan!
#sfneon #danfontes @danfontesart

RIP Dan Fontes, you will be much missed by the neon community. We treasure these photos by Jan Simon of Dan telling the story of discovering the Wonderlite neon collection and the journey to donate it to @letterformarchive. Thankful for Dan’s generous spirit and talent. Search for all the tributes to his legacy as a muralist and an Oakland native son. Thankful for Julie who stood by Dan!
#sfneon #danfontes @danfontesart

Become a sponsor of Neon Speaks 2026!
Donate at neonspeaks.org/sponsorships

With your support, you’ll power an electrifying experience that bridges generations, supports cultural preservation, and showcases your commitment to the creative arts. Your support helps keep the festival lights glowing and continue to offer preservation panels, shop tours, and illuminating presentations to grow the movement to celebrate and preserve the magic of neon.

2026 Sponsorship Perks
• A thank you and your linked logo on the Neon Speaks homepage
• Sep 11, 12, & 13 | The main event: Neon Symposium & Festival in Reno at the Light Circus Nevada Neon Museum (Welcome reception, tours, talks, film, neon quiz, and preservation panels inside the museum)
• Sep 19 | San Francisco’s Roxie Theater screening and VIP reception
• Date TBD | Access to all live and recorded Zoom presentations

SAVE THE DATES! Neon Speaks goes to RENO September 11, 12, & 13 in 2026! We’ll be there to support and celebrate a soft opening of Will Durham’s @thelightcircus Light Circus Nevada Neon Museum featuring his brilliant collection of vintage neon. (Don’t worry, we’ll be back at the SF Verdi Club next year.) Neon Speaks is more than a festival—it’s a community celebration of art, history, and craftsmanship that lights up the past and sparks inspiration for the future. #neonspeaks #sfneon #neon

The main festival events will be in Reno: tours, symposium talks, neon quiz, film, preservation panels, no-host dinner and community time. On September 19 we’ll reprise the San Francisco Roxie film screening and VIP reception. On September 20 will be the ever-popular shop tour at Neon Works in Oakland. Ticketing will be coming soon in April

Xmas Noir was a great night of noir, Eddie Muller, and the Nick Rossi Trio at the Grand Lake in Oakland. NoirCity.com

TONIGHT 7pm PDT on Zoom—Neon Speaks is still speaking! Tune in for illuminating neon talks from Rolando Pujol, Stephen Coles, and Heather David. Register at NeonSpeaks.org or link in bio.

If you already have a passport—you’ll get a link to tune in tonight and watch all event recordings. @rolandopujol @hmdavidcalmod
@stewf

#neonspeaks #signhunters #vintageneon sfneon

#plasmaart wizards Bruce Suba and Jordan Kershin brought some mesmerizing light art to the @verdiclubsf for #neonspeaks! @brucesuba

@sca_roadside talk tonight! Steve Spiegel and the world of Disney neon signs. FREE Live Zoom Event Wednesday September 17th 8 pm EST/5pm PST
Go to: sca-roadside.org to register

Stephen Spiegel is one of the quiz experts of Neon Speaks--but as an Imagineer he is also an expert in the neon history of Disney. Steve gave this presentation for Neon Speaks a few years ago. If you missed it, you have a second chance for this excellent presentation.

Thanks to everyone who joined the Neon Speaks Festival & Symposium last weekend to celebrate the past and future of neon. The @verdiclubsf staff is top notch and this historic ballroom is a wonderful venue.

Few tickets left for this Saturday 4pm screening. Go to Roxie.com #neonspeaks #sfneon #prelingerarchives

✨ The city that sparkled: SF’s lost neon nights ✨

Join us for SF Lost Neon Landscapes, a curated reel of dazzling neon-lit moments from classic films, home movies, and newly unearthed footage—fresh from the @prelingerlibrary Archive!

📽️ An official @neonspeaks Festival event, co-presented with the @roxie_theater and Tenderloin Museum.

📅 Saturday, Sept 13, 2025
⏰ 4:00 PM | Roxie Theater
🎟 TICKETS: LINK in BIO

It's Day 1 for Neon Speaks! Join us for an all-day online symposium with artists, authors, museums, neon world records, and a neon pub quiz. 11 am to 8 pm PDT with breaks. Tickets at neonspeaks.org or link in bio.

Photo: Neon World Record holder Dean Blazek on the cover of his new book, a 70-year sign journey.

t's Day 1 for Neon Speaks! Join us for an all-day online symposium with artists, authors, museums, neon world records, and a neon pub quiz. 11 am to 8 pm PDT with breaks. Tickets at neonspeaks.org or link in bio.

Photo: Cover of the American Sign Museum's new book, all about this mind-blowing sign museum in Cincinnati. Meet the book team today at Neon Speaks online symposium.