Laser Light Show (Grand Coulee Dam)

"The laser light show" at Grand Coulee Dam, which began in 1989, is one of the largest light shows in the U.S.. The 37 minute show runs daily from Memorial Day through September 30. An addition of fireworks lights up the sky above the dam each Memorial Weekend Sunday and July 4th.

The Grand Coulee Dam premiered its first non-laser light show in 1957. Approximately 740 flood lamps near the base of the dam lit up the dam, but not enough water flooded down the spillway for the desired effect.

Lasers and Sound

Lasers for the show are projected from the nearby Visitor's Arrival Center and consist of four large frame Coherent I-200/400 Lasers, (two 12-watt Krypton (red) and two 20-watt Argon lasers (green and blue). They are split and combined with dicroic filters and controlled with acousto optic modulators to create full color vector images. These images are projected 1100-3000 feet onto the face of the dam as well as the 3rd power-house which is to the far left. The entire dam is utilized as a screen during the show. The show includes Glenn Mazen voicing the character of the Columbia River which narrates the history of Columbia Basin Project, the construction of the dam, and the Indians living along its banks. The laser system contractor was Laser Fantasy International based in Bellevue, Washington. The system was designed by Floyd Rollefstad and installed by Casey Stack, Dave Haskell, Fred Lord and Kirk Melby in 1989. The system has had several upgrades and retrofits due to technology improvements.