Verdi Club Symposium and Curiosity Lounge: Neon Speaks 2025

Neon Speaks is back this year at the beautiful Verdi Club ballroom for symposium presentations, curios, art, and books by champions of neon far and wide. Doors open at 2:30 pm for the Neon Curiosity Lounge, light bites and the Verdi Club elegant no-host bar. Symposium presentations start at 3:00 pm, followed by an engaging neon pub quiz with local neon experts.

Check out the full schedule of presenters, panelists, and neon artists at neonspeaks.org. Discount tickets available for seniors/students/educators.

Schedule:

• 2:30 pm | Doors open, light bites & drinks, book signings, Neon Curiosity Lounge art & exhibits
• 3:00 pm | Symposium presentations: "Sign Spotting" by Stephen Coles, "Great American Retro Roadtrip" by Rolando Pujol, and "Art vs. Actual: The People Behind the Signs" by Heather David
• 4:15 pm | Break
• 4:30 pm | Symposium presntation "Let There Be Neon: Past and Future" by Dave Waller and Jeff Friedman
• 5:15 pm | Break
• 5:30 pm | Neon Pub Quiz with Paul Greenstein, Kathy Kikkert, Eric Lynxwiler, Todd Matuszewicz, Corky Scholl, Debra Jane Seltzer, and Steven Spiegel
• 6:15–6:45 pm | Last call for book signings and socializing

Last year's symposium participants at the Verdi Club. Photo by the Verdi Club

Neon Speaks' talented participants at the Verdi Club for 2025:

• Stephen Coles, Letterform Archive, San Francisco
• Heather David, Cal Mod Books, San Jose
• Will Durham, Nevada Neon Project, Reno
• Jeff Friedman and Dave Waller, Let There Be Neon New York City
• Paul Greenstein, , Los Angeles
• Kathy Kikkert, , Los Angeges
• Eric Lynxwiler, Museum of Neon Art, Los Angeles
• Todd Matuszewicz, Morey's Neon, Denver
• Ames Palms, Rebel Neon, SF Bay Area
• Shawna Peterson, Peterson Neon, SF Bay Area
• Corky Scholl, Save the Signs, Denver
• Steven Spiegel, Signs United, Los Angeles
• Debra Jane Seltzer, RoadsideArchitecture.com

• Adam Taylor, Neon Works, Oakland

Photos above, top to bottom:

• Neon Speaks 2024 at the Verdi Club by Al Barna
• Neon Speaks 2023 at the Great American Music Hall by Al Barna
• Neon Speaks 2023 at the Great American Music Hall by Will Hansen

Also check out other Arts events in San Francisco, Contests in San Francisco.