ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The 31st Annual Nights of Lights returns to St. Augustine on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, and will be brightly lit for all to see through Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025.
The annual “Light-Up Night!” show at Parque de Menendez (the grounds in front of St. Augustine City Hall) begins at 4 p.m. with a performance by Showtime USA, offering a wide variety of holiday musical favorites. Next, at 5:30 p.m., the All-Star Orchestra will perform with great swing and big band sounds in a holiday system at the historic Plaza de la Constitución Gazebo. Following the performance will be a night ceremony at 6:30 p.m. in the plaza, which turns on the night lights display, illuminating the city. Lastly, there is a concert, which ends at 7:30 p.m.
With a spectacular array of holiday lights, businesses downtown stay open later to accommodate extra holiday shopping and dining, and to allow visitors to view the marvelous display of lights.
If you don’t want to walk all of downtown St. Augustine, trains and trolleys will offer special tours to view the award-winning displays. Residences and businesses in the area of downtown St. Augustine also join in on the fun, adding their own dazzling display of lights.
“The celebration was chosen in 2011 and 2012 by National Geographic as one of the top 10 dazzling holiday lighting displays in the world,” according to the city of St. Augustine. “The dazzling display continues to dazzle, becoming more and more popular each year as a holiday destination for vacationers from all over the world.”
What parts are lighted?
Elaborate light displays can be seen at Flagler College, the Lightner Museum, and on side streets such as Cordova and Orange.
The main plaza, Plaza de la Constitución, features lights draped around every tree, with a huge Christmas tree in the center. The pedestrian-only main shopping area is St. George Street, and the Tini Martini Bar is inside the Casablanca Inn.
Remember to grab that photo opportunity with the giant Christmas tree, and the Bridge of Lions.
How did it start?
The Nights of Lights started as a traditional Spanish practice of placing candles in windows during Christmas.
“The stunning lights reflect the city’s more than 450-year history and illuminate the beautiful cityscape for lasting holiday memories.”
Click here for more details regarding the events, parking and shuttles.