Pelicans in Paradise

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"Press"ton Pelican in front of the Pensacola News Journal building on Romana Street

Pelicans in Paradise is a public art project organized by the Pensacola News Journal in which pelican statues of reinforced fiberglass are decorated by various artists, selected by the statues' sponsors, and placed at various outdoor locations around the downtown Pensacola area.

Pelicans in Paradise was inspired by the similar CowParade project, which Pensacola News Journal president & publisher Denise Ivey witnessed during a 2002 trip to Portland, Oregon. Each fiberglass pelican is nearly 5 feet tall and weighs about 70 pounds; each pelican sits on a 48 inch by 40 inch, 450-pound cement "perch."

A total of 41 pelicans have been commissioned for the project: the initial project included twenty-one pelicans launched between June 23-July 2, 2004, followed by a "Second Flight" between November 15-19, and five more in Spring 2005. One remains unfinished. On May 9, 2005, the pelicans began to be removed, cleaned and returned to their owners/sponsors. Many have remained in the same place.

All pelican designs have been reproduced in the form of scale replicas, which are available for purchase from the Pensacola News Journal. Other Pelicans in Paradise products include T-shirts, posters and magnets. All proceeds from sponsorship and merchandise go to benefit the News Journal's Newspapers in Education literacy program.

Pelicans

Pelican Locations

<googlemap lat="30.412595" lon="-87.215438" type="map" zoom="15" width="650"> </googlemap>

External Links

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