The annual Nights of Lights festival in St. Augustine—a major draw for tourists during the winter months—is now at the center of a growing debate over economic impact and quality of life.
According to the chairman of the St. Johns County Tourism and Development Council, shortening the event will take a significant toll on the local economy.
Appearing on 904Now last week, TDC chief Irving Kass, who also owns the St. George Inn, said the City Commission’s decision to trim the length of the festival could cost the region up to $135 million in lost revenue.
“The decision the City Commission made to shorten Nights of Lights cost our community $135 million,” Kass said. “And it’s not really solving the problem.”
In each of the past two years, the St. Augustine City Commission has voted to shorten the festival by one week, in response to growing complaints from residents about overcrowding, traffic congestion, and diminished quality of life.
;But Kass argues that the cuts address only surface-level symptoms, not the root problems.
“It goes back to people meaning well but not understanding a lot of what’s being discussed and thrown out,” he said. “There are symptoms, and not core issues.”
Supporters of the festival point out that the illuminated downtown draws thousands of visitors during an otherwise slow season, keeping restaurants, hotels, and small businesses afloat.
Kass said logistical headaches like traffic and crowd control won’t go away by shortening the event.
Instead, he has submitted an action plan to local officials aimed at easing congestion while preserving the economic boost the festival provides.
Among his proposals: creating dedicated bus lanes to and from remote parking lots that would shuttle visitors into the central area—an approach modeled after the Players Championship golf tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach. One of the proposed routes could run directly along San Marco Avenue.
He also suggested developing a Nights of Lights mobile app, offering real-time updates on parking, wait times, and restaurant availability to help improve the visitor experience and reduce bottlenecks.
Tourism and Convention Bureau President Susan Phillips voiced support for Kass’s plan during same discussion.
“We’ve got infrastructure issues. We have capacity issues,” Phillips said. “How do we make this better for the community? And when I say community, that means all of the residents, all of the businesses. And it’s a better visitor experience.”
