Before Saint Patrick’s Day, the six giant letters on the Herald sign atop the historic Herald Building on State Street in downtown Bellingham flashed various shades of green. Easter brought a pastel theme. For Earth Day, a rainbow of colors could be seen from near and far.
In between, the letters reverted to “Herald Red,” a color Daylight Properties’ Operations Coordinator Josh Holland said stays until the next themed holiday or happening comes around.
Before the letters atop the 1926 building were replaced by Signs Plus in 2016, red was the only shade to choose from. But now, the aluminum lights come with a programmable LED system which allows Holland and co-workers Brenna Hudson and Shannon Marting to highlight various combinations of colors throughout the year.
Josh Holland of Daylight Properties stands beneath the Herald sign in front of the shed where he changes its colors. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
Working with a miniature Herald sign connected to a laptop in Daylight’s offices, the trio can program all the colors of the rainbow. Additional settings allow the letters to “fade and dance,” and thematic colors for holidays such as the Fourth of July and Christmas can be pre-programmed. Once chosen, the small Herald “box” is taken to the roof to connect to the main sign.
What color (or colors) will be next? Stay tuned. Holland has free rein to choose, but he said they also take suggestions and requests at admin@daylightproperties.com.
“We love how the community enjoys it,” Holland said. “It’s extra fun for people to figure out the cause of the color.”
The Herald sign glows orange and green for the Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
WTD runs on Wednesdays. Have a suggestion for a “What’s the Deal With?” inquiry? Email us at newstips@cascadiadaily.com.
