St. Augustine Vice Mayor Barbara Blonder called the annual Nights of Lights “gaudy” this week—and pressed for a halt on all advertising for the showcase.
Speaking at a City Commission meeting on Monday, Blonder went on the offensive against what many consider a sacred commercial cow that keeps local businesses up and running.
But a wave of resident complaints during this year’s record-breaking rendition has put the event under heightened scrutiny.
Blonder revealed her reservations about Nights of Lights in its current form—and argued that it cheapens the Old City’s historic legacy.
“I don’t think Nights of Lights is heritage tourism,” she said. “Not with the blow-up Santa Clauses and gaudy lights. It’s not highlighting our architecture.”
The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines heritage tourism as “traveling to experience the places, artifacts, and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.”
“I’m not even sure how it’s gotten to this point,” she added.
Earlier in the meeting, Blonder called for an end to all Nights of Lights advertising.
“I’m going to say this controversial thing,” she said. “I think we should suspend all commercial advertising for Nights of Lights tourism.”
Blonder noted that European cities in Belgium and Norway reined in advertising to curb “over-tourism.”
The official said St. Augustine’s renown is already well established and that the city appears on a host of high-profile lists of top tourist destinations each year.
“The word has gotten out there,” she said. “I don’t know why we need to keep advertising Nights of Lights.”
Blonder said that she would rescind her support for the event without additional funding from both local businesses and the county to pay for the rising costs of managing the event.
Her comments came after a Nights of Lights report from City Manager David Birchim, who highlighted traffic snarls, extended response times for emergency responders, and overflowing trash bins among a host of concerns.
While a stream of residents have complained about myriad inconveniences during the event, business owners told local officials not to tinker with what they deem an inarguable success.
They’ve called for improved management rather than a pullback.
Renaissance St. Augustine Historic Downtown Hotel Food and Beverage Director Bryce Hannon told the panel that they should proceed gingerly given the stakes.
“When you turn that faucet off, there is the potential that it may never come back on,” he said, stressing that the event supports the livelihoods of many local staffers and business owners. “I caution all of you with those decisions. Take into consideration how hard we worked to build this up to what it is and what it brings to our community. And what we could lose by getting rid of it.”
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33 Responses
As a government employee she gets a guaranteed paycheck. Not everyone does. She should remember who she works for… the people.
by saying “the people”, it is important to distinguish whether you are referring to homeowner’s or the business community. Each may have their own thoughts about the effects of “Nights of Lights”.
How about taking up the issues and correcting them so this wonderful event can continue. If its worked in the past for so many years, what could be so different today that it can no longer work? How about poor management of the event. Perhaps the staff handling the event is new? Tired?
Yeah. She’s right. Couple friends of mine and I were having this conversation during the nights of lights while we were hanging out on the other side of the bridge.
I know old people always say things were better back in the day. It wasn’t necessarily better. We’re simply comparing 30ish years ago, we could go downtown for the tree lighting with our kids, actually find a place to park within a few blocks, and enjoy the tree lighting and simpler decorations around town.
So yeah we sat there enjoying some food from the other side of the bridge and the entirety of downtown was completely whited out. When did it become so many white miniature lights? If not for the tree in the plaza, from the other side of the river, it simply looked like it could have been any time of the year.
I get the businesses like it and all the tourists or I should say added tourists, more than make up for the loss from us not going over there. But honestly it’s not even enjoyable to look at from afar anymore.
I don’t think the Night of Lights is gaudy but I do believe better management, available parking, traffic flow, garbage upkeep, security, etc. all need upgrades. We live in an incredible historic area that’s needs preservation which all the new construction is ruining more than our special events
Ms. Blonder’s use of the word “gaudy” seems inappropriate as the city was beautiful.
I personally saw no blowups, but if a concern, rules for decor could be established to suit all.
As for inconveniences to residents, while understandable, it’s short lived.
Well done St. Augustine!
I think she’s referring to the hotel at San Marco and West Castillo that had a lot of tacky blow up decorations. I saw some others around town but that hotel was over the top.
It was my kids favorite part of the whole thing 🤷♀️
the Ripley’s MiniGolf down by the municipal marina used to put up big inflatables on the course (which was fine…it’s a puttputt course!). idk if they still do, but i wish i had the video of my man trying to SAVE THE REINDEER!!!!!!!! as he tried to right it against some decent wind lol.
I moved here 21 years ago because this city was not like the rest of Florida. I still think elected officials are beholden to all the trinket shops on St George. They are so tacky, there’s no reason for locals to even go anymore. We used to be able to park anywhere ( dirt parking lots were the best!) Nothing left for locals, it’s all designed for tourists. I don’t go there much, maybe 3 or 4 times a year. Ponte Vedra is so much better.
Dame. There used to be so many amazing local art boutiques and access to museums. Now St George Street is filled with tacky souvenir stores and chain places to snack. Starbucks, Auntie Anne’s, and Ben and Jerry’s come to mind immediately.
This is so typical of a government leader. It’s sad and angering especially when they forget who pays them and who depends on this temporary uptick in business. Decisions and mindsets like this leads to small businesses closing and eventually nonexistent tourism. If you don’t think I’m right, research the downfall of downtown Orlando. Mayor Buddy Dyer started changing rules and shutting down events which lead to the now ghost town of downtown. I grew up in Orlando and every single iconic bar, restaurants and shops have all gone out of business. It’s literally a ghost town now. This is what happens when poor leadership stops caring about their city.
She is listening to the people and the people are sick of how out-of-control it has become. She is properly voicing her frustration. It’s over crowded and a mess. There is nowhere to expand to. One can rein that in and still have good crowds. They can also shift money to promoting at other times of the year.
People couldn’t even get in to businesses because it was too crowded, so what business do you think shops are losing out on?
The event needs to run Thanksgiving to Christmas for travelers to enjoy the holidays. We did not come down to the event again because of the traffic and the amount of people. We usually wait until late January to walk the square and enjoy an evening under the lights. We have always had the tradition of bringing the kids out and being “tourists” and have fond memories. The event just needs less days and enforce the park and ride approach so there are less cars in the area. Close off the ability to drive into the shopping/restaurants for pedestrian safety. Continue to let the tourist businesses flourish and offer grand services. Make sure the police, fire and sanitation have all the resources they need. Offer more night life options. People don’t come on vacation to be bored at 9pm. Allow bars and restaurants to remain open til at least 11pm downtown. It’s a tourist town and locals only get a few weeks reprieve of traffic and the ability to get a table at a great restaurant. Don’t shut it down, it just needs restructured.
The city needs a trolley train system that runs the length of San Marco all the way to the National Guard barracks. It could just run down the side of the road taking up the parking lanes on one side. A parking garage could be built out by where San Marco merges with US1. This would keep a lot of cars out of the downtown area year round.
She is absolutely correct in what she says. All of you who think differently need to drive downtown every single day and see exactly what she is talking about. The screams from the trolly tours. Pedestrians walking out on the streets into traffic. Pick pockets having a field day. A mass of angry people who are also hungry and tired because they can’t eat due to the fact locals can’t get into work. Tourist are angry and hungry because they have to wait 2 hours to park and 2 hours to get into a restaurant. If something happens on St.George street the police and the fire department will not be able to access the street. When did we become New Orleans, drunken tourists with open containers. Bathrooms are a nightmare. I have done this for thirty years as a waitress, the most common phrase I heard in 2024 is “I’m never coming back here again.”
The Vice Mayor doesn’t think Nights Of Lights is “Heritage Tourism”. Well I wonder what she thinks of all the gaudy T-shirt shops on St. George street are? Asking for a friend.
So I guess National Geographic is out of place, calling St Augustine “Top 25 Christmas Light Displays in the World”… But instead the opinion of one person says it’s Gaudy. Sure , it gets busy. What did they expect.
Maybe they should outlaw building all the hotels to house all these guests… Where do they think all these people are going when they arrive in St Augustine. This group of leadership is very short sighted. My love for downtown St Augustine has severely diminished over the past 10 years, and I’ll say 100% because of its leadership . I swear , it’s successful despite them.
I’m not sure she meant the whole affair is gaudy. But for what it’s worth from a ‘born here 72 years ago local’ I think there are a few establishments that have simply gone overboard to the point of gaudy. It’s as if it’s a competition to see who can out do the other. Keep the lights….but also keep our quaint little town beautiful.
So much for the FIRST AMENDMENT. while I do not disagree that NofL may cause the issues Blonder is concerned about, banning the advertising certainly is contrary to First Amendment rights. Now, if the council decides not to spend on advertising, that’s another thing, but if Joe Business Owner decides to advertise, that’s not capable of this kind of limitation – even as commercial speech.
I agree; it could slow down and still be plenty of funds to be spent in downtown shops and restaurants! Less crowds does not mean less money; it means less waits at restaurants, you still serve the same amounts of food, just not to grouchy people who were on a 2 hour wait, and chances are sales in stores would go up. If I want to go into a shop to buy things and it’s packed; I’m not going in, so sales lost, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. All the businesses afraid of making less money don’t understand most of the time you make more when people don’t feel rushed or crowded and have time to actually enjoy whatever experience they are in.
It is great for tax revenue in our town. I just avoid the old city during December.
I say keep it. Many businesses small and large profit from this event.
I probably would have never gone to St. Augustine 2024 if I hadn’t seen Nights of Lights advertised over the holidays, me and 5 others in my family spending $ in the historic district and are restaurants and stores.
I respect Commissioner Blonder for speaking up about the “unsustainability” of NOL.
I’m not yet sure of the solution, but am glad it’s become a topic of discussion.
While I do agree that advertising can be curtailed, or maybe even stopped altogether, better traffic *and* better pedestrian management is what’s needed. Also, two solid months for NOL is just to long. Would like to see it shortened to Dec 15th to Jan 15th or even shorter.
For traffic management, northbound A1A traffic coming off the bridge into town should not have the option to go straight to Cathedral Place. Should only be able to turn right and head north with no left turns allowed until you get to the stop light at Ripley’s.
Southbound A1A traffic should be forced to turn right heading west up Castillo Drive West in front of Ripley’s. Then a left turn onto Cordova St. which takes them all the way to King St. A1A Southbound traffic turns left onto King St. for the Bridge of Lions. If not taking the Bridge of Lions, then you turn left at St. George by the Government House, then turn left again at Cathedral Place to head back to Cordova where you can turn left to “go around again” or turn right to head back to Castillo Drive West.
For tourists, A1A southbound Trolley trains, tour buses and the such are not required to turn right at Ripley’s. They are allowed to go straight and head south along the bayfront. Then turn right at Cathedral Place, left at St. George next to the Government house, then left onto king street. This allows them to circle the plaza for the tourists on board. Once on King street they are allowed to turn left onto A1A Northbound to give another view of the bayfront on their way back to Ripley’s.
For unauthorized A1A Southbound vehicles that don’t turn right onto Castillo Drive West in front of Ripley’s, they can be stopped near the city gates, ticketed and then forced to take Orange Street to Cordova or to US1.
For pedestrian control, would need more law enforcement to manage that more efficiently. Additionally, it needs to be clearly posted that jaywalkers will be fined and they actually need to be fined a sufficient amount (of which the amount is posted) to make them think twice before taking that few extra steps to a legal and managed crosswalk.
Next, I don’t know what the schedule is for the Bridge of Lions openings. But for NOL there needs to be no openings from sundown when the lights come on, until a time when traffic and pedestrians start to thin out. 11PM maybe? Could be as late as midnight if necessary.
Finally, there will need to be some kind of traffic control for left turning traffic off Castillo Drive West on to Cordova. Since the changed traffic pattern would only be for the NOL period, maybe temporary all way stop signs would be sufficient? I think traffic lights would be to costly for that since we’re only talking 30 days at the most each year.
Florida is having record-breaking tourism because people like it here. It’s a great problem to have and helps keep us a state with no state income tax. Let’s keep the revenue flowing and our taxes low.
You aren’t from here and should not even have a say. Vice Mayor or not. Wanna make decision for a town go home!! Once you have the education you claim to have you lose common sense. Ask the locals and stop calling our home Guady!!!
It’s a tourist town. It has been for a long time. I suggest she find somewhere else to live where the economy is built on something outside of tourism. Next time let’s elect a vice mayor who understands how all this works and knows the meaning of the word gaudy. Stopping advertising because we have already established ourselves? Her ignorance is astounding (she may have to look that word up too)!
it’s a big dig pending disaster sooner or later the something really ugly gonna go down end it first responders need to respond
The vice mayor is correct in many ways but the tacky crap that is now being sold on St George mirrors the junky street vendors during nights of lights. Let’s start with getting rid of the nasty and destructive effects of those pro Trump signs on the historic home, next to Tini Martini bar on our historic waterfront? How is a historic city allowing this garbage to litter the views of our beautiful architecture? It is an absolute disgusting eye sore.
Allow private citizens that have extra parking to charge for parking on their property. They should be licensed for temporary parking during these special events, properly insured, and those parking the cars should be experienced and over 21 years of age. The city would have extra revenue cars would be off the road, and some citizens can certainly use the extra cash with the property tax and insurance rates rising the way they are. When you cannot get an emergency vehicle into one of our neighborhoods, you are putting us at risk.
The home owners of downtown that have to deal with all the traffic should get a tax break.
The City of St. Augustine is made up of 3-entities: residents, businesses & tourists. The City Commissioners represent all 3. Without the restaurants, hotels and shops, there would be no tourists. Residents and Businesses pay property taxes. Hotels collect bed taxes which supports a wide range of different things in our community. The main issue for everyone is parking and traffic so unless government comes up with a solution that works for all 3-entities, things will continue the way they are.