Basic information about marquee lights

Posted by adairsawyer on April 29th, 2014

Marquee lights are those sparkling signs present on buildings like hotels, cinemas, theaters or any other entertaining buildings. Lately, people use these lights for giving a special touch to events like weddings, birthday parties, engage parties, etc. These light up letters are loved and often used in decorating themed parties and entertaining buildings, but many people do not know the history behind these letters. Finding out a little bit about the things that made marquees so popular would make you appreciate these lighting messages even more.

The current usage of the word marquee in the modern English refers to a specific canopy which projects over a main entrance of a theater. These marquee lights usually display details on the entertainment event, performers or of the artistic act, and were firstly documented in the journal “American Speech”, in the year of 1926. Therefore, the marquee usually marks a front door or main entrance of the big centers of entertainment. However, the marquee word is derived from the word in Modern French, marquise, which means nobleman.

Anyway, the word also refers to various fashions and objects with elegant or pleasing features. Therefore, even if the connection between the first meaning of the word marquee and its usage now is not obvious, these lighted up letters always seem to show the greatness of a place, building, event and give certain elegance to it. However, right now the marquee lights seem to be used more often in private events and happenings, because people love the simple and amazing touch it gives to a room, picture, footage, etc.

When it comes to the historical meaning of marquee lights, this has strong social, political and economic features. It is closely related to the life in the 20th century. The invention of automobiles had a high impact on many elements of theater architecture. Therefore, marquees become larger and stood out from the street, in order to serve as a physical or aesthetic landmark from other business around. Plus, the shape evolved, making the lighted up letters more readable to automobile riders.

Colors have changed as well, and the size of the text, combine with the lights, made the façade of any building using them, easily visible to cars. This way, many movies, plays and hotels were promoted, since there weren`t any major technological advantages then. The publicity and marketing services used to rely on these marquees for attracting customers. Therefore, marquee lights are now widely used in many areas of people`s life, but have had a long history as theater message before that. Their place in social and politic life evolved.

However, marquee lights were very important in the 20th century, being a very important psychological factor and influencing people`s live by promoting different firms, acts, plays and movies, attracting auditory on a certain entertaining scene. Nowadays, however, marquees remain important social attractions, but they have changed they role, being preferred as intimate messages rather than social ones. People often use them as decorating items or as party messages.

The marquee lights have an amazing past, which is worth knowing about, even if you are using them or now. Learning about the light up letters will help you understand more about how to use them in order to enlighten your party.