As the newest landmark on the West Waterfront of the City of Sturgeon Bay, DCMM is establishing a tradition of changing the colors of the exterior lights of the Jim Kress Maritime Lighthouse Tower to recognize important historic moments, holidays as well as local schools and organizations throughout the year.
The colorization dates will be set and established by Door County Maritime Museum. Variations from the list are at the discretion of DCMM, and can be considered for local sporting events, championships, celebrations, etc.
When a conflict in dates occurs, priority will always be given to events of historic relevance, history and more specifically, maritime history.
DCMM is able to program the lights thanks to the state-of-the-art Color Kinetics architectural lighting system installed by Northern Electric Inc. (NEI).
Maritime Lighthouse Tower lights will celebrate and/or commemorate the following:
- Martin Luther King Day – Third Monday in January
- Human Trafficking Awareness Month – Last week in January
- Holocaust Remembrance Day – January 27
- Black History Month – February
- National Wear Red Day – First Friday in February
- National Freedom Day – February 1
- Valentine’s Day – February 14
- Presidents’ Day – Third Monday in February
- Women’s History Month – March
- National Girl Scout Day – March 12
- St. Patrick’s Day – March 17
- Vietnam Veterans Day – March 29
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month – April
- Earth Day – April 22
- Military Appreciation Month – May 1
- National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend – May 4
- Mental Health Awareness Week – May 10
- Armed Forces Day & Peace Officers Memorial Day – May 15
- National Maritime Day – May 22
- Memorial Day – Last Monday in May
- Pride Month – June
- Flag Day/US Army Birthday – June 14
- Juneteenth – June 19
- Open Door Pride Festival – Fourth Saturday in June
- Independence Day – July 4
- Bastille Day (honoring French explorer Jean Nicolet) – July 14
- US Coast Guard Birthday – August 4
- Sturgeon Bay Maritime Week – Second Week of August
- Labor Day – First Monday in September
- Suicide Awareness Day – Second Monday in September
- Walk to End Alzheimer’s – September 10
- Hispanic Heritage Month – Begins September 15
- Breast Cancer Awareness – October
- Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day – Second Monday in October
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month/Walk With Me – October 4
- Navy Day – October 27
- Halloween – October 31
- Veterans Day – November 11
- Christmas Holidays – December
- Hanukkah – December
The Door County Maritime Museum will not accept payment for, or trade of any kind in exchange for lighting the tower. We are not able to ‘rent’ the tower for light choices to any individual or private party. However, we are open to suggestions for new/different occasions to honor; please email us with your suggestions at info@dcmm.org.
