Apollo 50th Times Square — The People's Moon

Aubrey and Astronaut Winston Scott

I worked with my former team at the Aldrin Family Foundation to help produce The People’s Moon—an Apollo 11 Moon Landing 50th Anniversary Times Square event scheduled that happened on July 20, 2019.

Apollo 50th Times Square Takeover

THE PEOPLE’S MOON

A giant mosaic was created from photos and videos submitted by people from all over the world under the hashtag #MYGIANTLEAP — The mosaic was designed to bring people together for a common goal and to remind the world we all share the same moon as humans living on the same planet. An online version of the digital mosaic lives at thepeoplesmoon.com where you can explore the mosaic, zoom in, and find yourself within it.

This giant, digital mosaic was also unveiled during the Apollo 50th Gala at the Kennedy Space Center and lives in the Apollo Saturn V Center as a permanent exhibit and a living historical document of the Apollo 50th Anniversary.

Piccadilly Circus in London also joined in the celebration and showcased historical content, digital mosaics, stories of unsung heroes and the public’s giant leap statements.

On July 20, 2019, our team was scheduled to turn Times Square into Mare Tranquillitatis, the Apollo 11 landing site! The Aldrin Family Foundation had secured permits to give the public a chance to walk on the moon in Times Square. However, due to an emergency heat advisory on the day of the event, the NYC Mayor’s office asked that we move the event indoors. Our team worked around the clock and in less than 24 hours (!), managed to move the Times Square outdoor setup to an indoor, air-conditioned space in a ballroom at the Times Square Marriott Marquis.

We partnered with the NYC Department of Education for activities on the ground and streamed historical footage as well as spotlights on unsung heroes and stories from the people of today sharing their own giant leaps for the future. Screens and billboards in Times Square streamed this historic celebration and promoted the one time in recorded human history when the world was truly joined as one—when we landed on the moon and the Apollo 11 crew left the plaque that said,

“WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND.”

We believe that everyone on Earth has a dream. In July 1969, the Apollo 11 mission fulfilled the dreams of all humanity by achieving an ‘impossible’ dream—landing and walking on the moon. It inspired the world and spurred on inspiration, innovation and technology. We want to celebrate the past to awaken the future to encourage people to dream impossible dreams again.

It is our goal to include people from all walks of life in this celebration and use the moon landing as a reminder that regardless of gender, color, age, location, ethnic background and economic status—we’re all humans on the same planet.