It was one for the books: The first official sunset through the newly refreshed Light Gate sculpture was everything a sunset fan could hope for.

Colorful and dramatic, it drew a crowd of about 150 to downtown Manhattan Beach on Thursday evening.

The landmark Light Gate sculpture on Highland Ave. at Manhattan Beach City Hall focuses the view through a keyhole opening down 14th Street to the ocean. Each year on January 27 and November 14, the sunset aligns within the keyhole.

The sculpture originally had fused glass embedded with a film that was designed to create a prism-like refraction when hit by sunlight. However, since the sculpture was installed in 2015, it had experienced some fading.

Earlier this year, the city replaced the glass panels on the Light Gate sculpture with dichroic glass products (preferred for architectural use in sunlight) that have ten-year warranty. The new look for the sculpture gives a multi-colored hue to the light that comes through it.

This year's sunset viewing featured a formal unveiling and dedication of the new glass.

With bright purples and oranges, the sunset and sculpture put on a show that did not disappoint. When the sun disappeared below the horizon, leaving streaks of pink and orange behind, the crowd spontaneously burst into applause.