Submitted by Lakewood Chamber of Commerce.
The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce is bringing back the tradition of decorating the city in blue lights for the holiday season!
If you have a business in the city limits of Lakewood, you qualify to receive FREE C-9 LED blue light strings long as supplies last. And if you need help installing the lights on your roof line, Chamber Member and President’s Club Sponsor, Veteran Roofers, has offered assistance. This installation service is also complimentary for the first 25 businesses who sign up.
BACKGROUND: When the Lakewood Colonial Center was built by Norton Clapp in 1937, it was a pretty big deal. It was the first suburban “mall” west of the Mississippi. It is rumored that Clapp’s first wife Mary Cordelia Davis’s favorite color was blue. Hence, the decorating of the Colonial Center with blue lights during the Christmas season began. Mrs. Clapp inspired owners of nearby shopping centers and along Gravelly Lake Drive to follow the color scheme, and in the late 1930’s blue bulbs symbolized the holiday spirit of community businesses.
For decades, people would drive from all over the South Sound to see the city luminous with sparkling blue lights ~ and it became a destination for holiday shoppers. Sadly, business complexes were bought and sold, often to those who have no local ties. The blue lights aged, and by the late 1970’s were all but a warm memory to locals.
However, they took on new meaning after November 29, 2009, when our four Lakewood police officers were gunned down at a Parkland coffee shop. In the weeks after the tragedy, blue lights blazed throughout the region in memory of Sgt. Mark Renninger and Officers Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and Ronald Owens. The Lakewood City Council voted blue lights as the official Christmas colors for Lakewood.
Will you help bring back the magic of the holiday season and “go blue?” We have blue lights available at the Chamber office while supplies last. It’s been challenging to stock up on inventory this year, so be sure and get the linear footage of your roofline and get them while we have them!
We’d love to hear from you. Please contact Linda Smith at lsmith@lakewood-wa.com to sign up so you can participate in this new … and historic tradition. Let’s paint the town blue and make the season bright!
Marvelous! THANK YOU Lakewood Chamber. Here’s a tradition with rooted history, enhanced of meaning and reflection, that we all can appreciate and support.
Law enforcement need all the support and appreciation we can give them during this very trying time. I am very happy to see Lakewood continue this worthwhile tradition.
This is wonderful news!!! Thank you so much Lakewood Chamber!!!
A tradition everyone can enjoy!
Everything old is new again…
These are not the dim blue lights of yesteryear…they really POP💙💙💙💙
I’m so happy to see this tradition is back! Thank you.
Windell Portraits it excited to be part of this tradition! Thank you, Lakewood Chamber of Commerce.
Totally understand the tradition of blue lights but I’ve always thought they are sad to me. Dim, kind of dark. So I love the multi colored lights or maybe all white as either is so much brighter. Not that it will be changed. Just sharing they make me sad where the others brighter.
I’m not sure I like the “long” string of lights after looking forward to the individual bulbs hung @ the Town Centre & the Villa Plaza. This is cost efficient & “smart lighting”; right up Norton’s alley.
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THIS TRADITION GOING FORWARD. It’s hard to remember our “buddies” @ LPD and the sadness it reminds us of, without a thought of sorrow & loss. This reminder is special and appreciated.
Hooray!!!
Living in Lakewood, Steilacoom, Fircrest, and Tacoma for the past 45 years, the elegant blue holiday lights of Lakewood have long been my favorite. Although, I’ll certainly never, ever forget 2009 and the ambush murder of four of our police officers and how the blue was brought back that year in honor and remembrance of them.
I’m delighted the blue holiday lights are coming back again. Congratulations to Linda Smith and the Lakewood Chamber for their support of bringing back this “new tradition.” Way to go!!!