Local 

Local Lighting Company Tasked with Illuminating an Icon

A Peterson , ,

Battleship Wisconsin to be Transformed for the Holiday Season

Norfolk, Va.- A local lighting design company has begun work on its most
ambitious project to date – illuminating the last and largest battleship
built by the United States Navy. Chesapeake-based Blue Steel Lighting
Design is tasked with designing and installing more than 250,000 outdoor
holiday lights and projections as part of Nauticus’ new experience,
WinterFest on the Wisconsin. The six-week festival opens on November 21,
giving the team just one week to complete the installation.

“This ship is enormous,” said Jeremy Kilgore, owner of Blue Steel Lighting
Design. “We’ve been planning since July, but it’s hard to get a sense of
the scale until you’re onboard and setting the light forms in place.
We’re so grateful for the amazing opportunity though. It’s been a really
tough year for the event community.” WinterFest on the Wisconsin will
feature a walk-through light trail that includes a forest of 100 trees on
the ship’s bow, giant candy structures, drums, musical notes and presents.

The Battleship Wisconsin’s guns – the largest cannons built by the U.S.
Navy – will be transformed into six massive candy canes.

“This is a huge, complex project,” said Stephen E. Kirkland, Nauticus’
executive director. “My challenge to the lighting team was to think of
this ship as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.  It has to be that
iconic.”

Blue Steel Lighting Design will be onboard each day/night leading to the
grand illumination on Saturday, November 21 at 5:30PM. WinterFest on the
Wisconsin will also feature live entertainment, holiday displays, and a
lighted sailboat parade on the Elizabeth River each Saturday evening. At
the conclusion of each parade, Santa will arrive by boat. WinterFest on
the Wisconsin is primarily an outdoor event, offering guests a safe,
open-concept experience to enjoy the holidays and will run through Dec.
31st.

For more information, visit
www.nauticus.org/winterfest<http://www.nauticus.org/winterfest> . The
experience is brought to the community by the Nauticus Foundation, a
nonprofit 501(c)3 developed to support the mission and activities of Nauticus. Nauticus’ mission is to benefit the community through education,
impactful experiences and by sharing access to maritime resources.