Why the blue lights on downtown Bellingham trees? WWU students return Sept. 21

A few downtown blocks are about to turn blue – Viking blue – as Western Washington University gears up to start classes Wednesday, Sept. 21.

That afternoon, the university’s alumni association will host Paint B’ham Blue for WWU. The new freshmen orientation event aims to bring students downtown to get to know the city they will call home for the next four years (or so). Chris Roselli, director of young alumni and student programs for the WWU Alumni Association, said he hopes it will be the first of an annual event.

“We want to make this a new tradition,” Roselli said Wednesday, Sept. 7.