Business Details
32 Years
experience
Expert Event Lighting Solutions by Northern Lights Searchlights
Northern Lights Searchlights has proudly served Colorado and southern Wyoming for nearly three decades, delivering iconic searchlight rentals for events ranging from car dealership grand openings to haunted houses. Our team specialized in creating atmospheric artistry, including a groundbreaking prism-projected rainbow installation featured in a PBS documentary. We maintained the cleanest, most reliable WWII-era carbon arc and xenon searchlights in the industry, adapting to technological shifts while preserving the magic of large-scale lighting displays.Despite market changes driven by LED advancements and declining visibility in urban night skies, we remain committed to repairing and maintaining searchlights for existing clients nationwide. Our legacy reflects decades of expertise in temporary lighting solutions and a passion for illuminating memorable experiences.
Services
Searchlight Rentals
Event Lighting
Haunted House Installations
Searchlight Repairs
Prism Projections
Details
- Year established: 1994
Highlights and features
- 30 years of experience with historic carbon arc searchlight technology
- Maintained industry-leading equipment cleanliness and reliability standards
- Pioneered atmospheric art projects like the PBS-featured prism rainbow installation
- Specialized in maintaining and repairing legacy searchlight systems nationwide
- Established partnerships with haunted attractions across the United States
Services
Searchlight Rentals
Provided historic carbon arc and xenon searchlight rentals for special events across Colorado and Wyoming. Our equipment illuminated car dealership promotions, football games, and after-prom events while maintaining WWII-era technology standards. As lighting technology evolved, we adapted our offerings to meet changing market demands.
Atmospheric Artistry
Created innovative light art projects using searchlight technology, including the PBS-featured prism rainbow projection on Boulder's Flatirons. Collaborated with Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde to develop large-scale atmospheric effects that combined engineering precision with artistic vision for unique client experiences.
Haunted House Lighting
Supplied and maintained searchlight systems for haunted attractions nationwide. Our specialized lighting solutions enhanced immersive experiences at seasonal haunted houses while preserving the dramatic effect of traditional carbon arc technology in atmospheric settings.
Searchlight Repairs
Offered technical support and repair services for legacy searchlight systems across the United States. Our expertise covered WWII-era carbon arc units and Vietnam-era xenon models, ensuring continued operation of historic equipment for clients maintaining traditional lighting displays.
Event Lighting Solutions
Delivered customized lighting solutions for major events like the Bud Light Spring Jam in Aspen. Our team provided professional-grade searchlight displays for concerts, sporting events, and promotional activations while maintaining strict safety and performance standards throughout our operational history.
Questions
Why is Northern Lights Searchlights closing?
Advancements in LED technology reduced searchlight visibility in urban areas, while imported equipment flooded the market. After 30 years, we're shifting focus to other ventures.
Do you still offer searchlight rentals?
We've officially closed our rental operations but continue maintaining existing installations at haunted houses nationwide.
Can you repair searchlight equipment?
Yes, we provide technical support and repairs for legacy carbon arc and xenon searchlight systems across the United States.
What was your most unique project?
We collaborated with Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde on a PBS-featured project projecting rainbows using a giant prism and searchlight technology onto Colorado's Flatirons.
How long were you in business?
We operated for nearly 30 years, serving Colorado and Wyoming clients from our founding in 1994 until our 2024 closure announcement.
Will you work on new projects?
While we're no longer lighting up new events, we'll maintain existing installations and assist with technical needs for legacy searchlight operators.
