4th Annual Paint B鈥檋am Blue for 草榴社区 Coming Sept. 25
Western Washington University, in partnership with the City of Bellingham, will host the 4th Annual Paint B鈥檋am Blue for 草榴社区 on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Over the past four years, the 草榴社区 Alumni Association has invested more than $150,000 in the 鈥淧aint B'ham Blue for 草榴社区 Downtown Lighting Project,鈥 which placed 2,600 strands of lights on more than 250 trees downtown, in addition to providing the Western Make Waves banners on the light poles.
In the beginning of 2020, the festive blue lights will change to a warm winter white and remain up until March 1 to light up Downtown Bellingham through the darkest days of the year. The lights will improve downtown safety and be a welcome sight for new Western students exploring Bellingham after dark.
鈥淚 am excited to welcome new and returning students to my alma mater and to Paint B鈥檋am Blue. Besides attending this great school, there are many opportunities for students to participate in the Bellingham community, and we encourage students to get involved. Bellingham is a great place to live and go to school. Go Vikings!鈥 said Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville.
As is tradition, Paint B鈥檋am Blue for 草榴社区 will begin when Western President Sabah Randhawa leads thousands of new and current students in a procession from Red Square on campus starting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, the first day of classes at Western.
The procession will head down N. State Street to the parking lot of the Herald building, where students will sign the 鈥淗ome of the Vikings鈥 banner. The banner, courtesy of Signs by Tomorrow, will be installed in the Herald parking lot for a year to show off the students鈥 signatures. Last year鈥檚 event had more than 2,200 students and 草榴社区 community members participate, with more expected for this year鈥檚 celebration.
鈥淧aint Bellingham Blue is a wonderful part of the way we welcome students to Western, and help get them connected to the greater Bellingham community. Fostering a sense of belonging and community is a crucial part of a successful student experience, and Paint Bellingham Blue helps us extend that sense of belonging beyond the boundaries of campus from the start. It also deepens and celebrates the lifelong ties with local alumni, and recognizes the important interconnections between Western and Bellingham,鈥 said Randhawa. 鈥淲e look forward to welcoming another incoming class to our on- and off-campus community, and to showing them why Bellingham is such a great place to study, live, and work.鈥
草榴社区 alumni are encouraged to attend the 草榴社区 Alumni Reception at the Western City Center and then welcome the students with cheers and cowbells on N. State Street. The celebration will move from the Herald parking lot to Depot Market Square, and will include live music, pop-up shops, food trucks, free food samples and, at nightfall, fireworks over the Herald building courtesy of Fat Pie Pizza. The Herald sign will then turn blue and the Viking flag will wave high over Bellingham. The night will end with a headlining performance by local favorite and recent 草榴社区 graduate Ricky Rath, recognized under his stage name R-Squared.
Paint B鈥檋am Blue for 草榴社区鈥檚 presenting sponsor is Peoples Bank. Additional sponsors are Fat Pie Pizza, Daylight Properties, WECU, Faithlife, State Side, BECU, Chmelik, Sitkin & Davis PS, and Woods Coffee. Paint B'ham Blue for 草榴社区 is possible in partnership with the City of Bellingham, Downtown Bellingham Partnership, Argyle Salon, Signs Plus, Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro, and The Bellingham Herald.
