Imagine this: It’s a Carolina game day, and the skyline is glowing garnet as fans of the opposing team come to town. Come June, it shifts to a rainbow for Pride. On Veterans Day, it beams red, white, and blue. That’s the vision behind Tripp Roche’s lighting initiative — and it’s starting to take shape.
The 20-year-old Columbian has been rallying support for programmable LED lighting on downtown buildings. Inspired by Charlotte’s skyline and Capstone’s celebratory glow, Tripp wants Columbia to have its own visual identity — one that reflects the spirit of the city year-round.
He’s already working with building owners, the City of Columbia, USC, and organizations like One Columbia and the Audubon Society. The goal is to light up the skyline 20–25 times per year, with themes tied to local events, nonprofit causes, and city pride to help activate the community.
“I don’t want it to be, ‘Tripp Roche decided what the skyline lights up for.’ I want the people to decide,” said Roche.
So we asked.
What should Columbia’s skyline light up for?
COLAtoday readers submitted dozens of ideas — here are some of your favorites, grouped by theme.
Local pride + game day glow
- David J. | USC and other local college events (think: garnet for USC, gold for Benedict, blue for Allen)
- Ashish D. + AJ H. | Gamecock home games and major holidays
- EB | Light up for the winner of the Clemson-Carolina football game
- Koby R. | Sports wins, holidays, and celebrations
Awareness + local causes
- Brenda H. | Breast cancer awareness (pink), mental health awareness (green)
- C.W. | National Disability Employment Awareness Month (purple)
- Susan L. | Special Olympics South Carolina State Games in May (red or blue)
- Anonymous | Midlands Gives Day, Columbia’s holiday parades, and other local fundraisers
- Chloe R. + Garrett | Pride Month (rainbow colors)
Tripp emphasized that causes with specific color associations — like Alzheimer’s purple, Pride rainbow, or Red Cross red — could include real-world tie-ins, such as fundraising campaigns or call-to-action partnerships at Fireflies games.
Holidays + community celebration
- Jane T. | July 4
- Gregory T. | Juneteenth
- Barbara G., Linda T., Reba M., Rita W. | Memorial Day and Veterans Day
- Libby C. | Christmas (either red + green or all white)
Environmental concerns
Several readers expressed concerns about wildlife and light pollution. According to the Audubon Society, Columbia already ranks 9 out of 10 on the national light pollution scale. But Tripp says the project won’t worsen the issues — and may even help raise awareness.
He’s working directly with the Audubon Society and shared the guidelines they’ve provided:
- Avoid blue and white lights during key migration periods
- Turn off exterior lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during peak migration seasons (Aug. 15–Nov. 15 and Mar. 15–May 15)
- Use lights with a color temperature of 3000K or below
- Encourage buildings to reduce indoor lighting to offset the exterior glow
“This is a public art and awareness project — but it has to work for the whole community,” Roche said.
Got an idea for what the city should light up for? Submit it here.
