ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
On Nov. 15, St. Augustine’s annual classic, Nights of Lights, will open to the public. But before you get the family in the car and head downtown, the city wants to make sure visitors are prepared for some “significant modifications” to the event.
The changes come after city leaders were awarded nearly $1 million ($851,000) as they planned to address increased costs associated with the event following last year’s high attendance, and an even higher number of complaints about the traffic it caused.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: St. Augustine officials hope new parking solutions reduce downtown gridlock during Nights of Lights | ‘Like to have more shuttles’: St. Johns County officials meet to discuss potential solutions to Nights of Lights traffic | St. Johns County commissioner proposes task force ahead of wildly popular Nights of Lights festival
"In addition to the Free Park & Ride Shuttles, STAR Circulator modified operations, and the Nights of Lights St. Augustine mobile app, the following areas of operations have been altered for the upcoming 2025-2026 Nights of Lights season," the city said.
Historic Downtown Parking Facility
While the Free Park & Ride Shuttles are operating, the Historic Downtown Parking Facility will charge $40 per entry.
All St. Johns County registered resident parking discounts will be honored.
The city said this change is intended to get visitors to use the free satellite parking and free shuttles.
Previous coverage of Nights of Lights can be seen in the video below
Public Bathrooms
Seventy (70) public portable toilets will be placed throughout the Historic Downtown District, some for the duration of the Nights of Lights season, and some placed temporarily for special events.
A map of all public restrooms, permanent and temporary, will be available in the Nights of Lights mobile app beginning November 8.
Pedestrian Safety
The city said that members of the St. Augustine Police Department and St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, as well as County Public Safety Assistants, will be stationed at high-volume intersections to direct pedestrian traffic.
Barricades will be installed during busy weekends and every day from Dec. 19 through Jan. 1 along Cathedral Place on the north side of the Plaza de la Constitución as a barricade, preventing pedestrians from crossing Cathedral Place in the middle of the block.
Pedestrians will be required to cross at the intersections of Cathedral Place at St. George Street and Charlotte Street.
Pedestrian barricades will also be placed on both sides of Avenida Menendez between the Bridge of Lions and the Castillo de San Marcos, requiring pedestrians to cross at the designated crosswalks.
As a result of this, street parking will be removed as necessary; however, traffic is expected to remain uninterrupted.
Vehicle Barricades, Traffic Circulation
Meridian barricades will be placed at certain cross-streets in the Historic Downtown district to prevent traffic and maintain public safety.
At peak times, traffic will be diverted off the westbound Bridge of Lions to right-turn only. And to prevent through-traffic from US1, barricades will be placed to restrict right and left turns into the Flagler Model Land and North City neighborhoods.
Rideshare Geofencing
The city has implemented geofencing with rideshare service providers Lyft and Uber.
When a customer requests a ride pick-up or drop-off in the historic district on Fridays or Saturdays, between 5:00 PM and 2:00 AM, they will be automatically directed to one of five centrally geo-fenced locations:
- Avenida Menendez, east side, near the horse and carriage loading zones
- Plaza de la Constitución, loading zone on Charlotte Street, near the Historic Market
- Visitor Information Center Clocktower, near the STAR circulator pick-up/drop-off
- Carrera Street, north side loading zone, ½ block west of Cordova St.
- Drive-through loop across from Castillo parking lot
Workforce and Residential Parking
Permanent and temporary permit parking will be available downtown for some workforce and residents.
The Toques Parking Lot, located at 24 Toques Pl., and the Granada Street Lot, located at 78 Bridge Street, will be used for workforce permit parking during certain hours.
Additionally, the Flagler College Parking Garage, located on Malaga Street, will be available for workforce permit parking during the college’s holiday break, from Dec. 13 through Jan. 4.
Temporary residential parking permits will be issued in Flagler Model Land, Abbott Tract, and Uptown neighborhoods.
To get all of this information on your phone, the city recommends downloading the Nights of Lights app, which will provide users with plenty of “know-before-you-go” information.
A reminder: Parking, shuttles, and public bathroom information will be available in the app on Nov. 8.