Nights of Lights Questions Answered
A few key questions answered about the famous lights.
What is Nights of Lights?
Nights of Lights is one of the biggest city-wide light displays in the Southeastern United States. National Geographic named Nights of Lights as one of the Top Ten Holiday Light Displays in the world.
When is Nights of Lights?
Nights of Lights takes place from November 21, 2026, to January 18, 2027. This is St. Augustine's 33rd year of celebrating Nights of Lights. Light-Up! Night is November 21 and the ceremony begins at 4:00 p.m., and the lights are flipped on around 6:30 p.m. Nights of Lights started in 1993 as a way to boost tourism in the winter months. Now the city streets are packed with visitors every winter holiday season.
Where is Nights of Lights?
Nights of Lights takes place throughout downtown St. Augustine. There is not one particular spot to see the lights. However, most of the lights are concentrated around the Plaza de la Constitución and along the bayfront.
What is the best way to see the lights?
See the lights three ways: by foot, by a tour vehicle that plays holiday music, and by boat. (Scroll down to learn about shuttles and where to park.)
What time of day do the lights turn on (and off)?
The lights turn on every day at 5:30 p.m. and remain on past 2:00 a.m.(!) during Nights of Lights.
Why only white lights?
The St. Augustine festival uses white lights to honor an old Spanish tradition.
What's the tradition?
First, on important dates, such as a king's coronation, Spanish homes would place a lighted white candle in one or more windows. Candles were expensive, and few houses could afford to light them for Christmas.
Second, during Christmas and other celebrations, Spaniards would light a small torch and place it outside their home. In some places in the New World, that tradition has morphed into lighting luminaria on Immaculate Conception Eve in early December. The country of Colombia is famous for its luminaria, and the St. Augustine Lighthouse hosts its own luminaria several times during the holiday season.
I heard there's one red light - is this true?
According to a 2019 editorial in the St. Augustine Record, one of the men who placed the lights inserted one red light for his daughter to find. After he retired, the tradition continued. We know people who actively search for the one red light among three million white ones! According to one source, the red light is always somewhere in the Plaza de la Constitución.
How much is Nights of Lights, and where can I buy tickets?
If you are looking for free things to do in St. Augustine, look no further. Nights of Lights is free. Park, walk around, and view the lights. Nevertheless, there are several ways to see the lights, and most of the tours have a fee.
Where should I park during Nights of Lights?
Is there a Shuttle Service?
Those are great questions. The Nights of Lights is NOT a driving event. You park, walk, or take a tour on land or on the water.
Nights of Lights Free Parking and Shuttles for 2026/27
Learn about how the free Park-and-Ride shuttles, the STAR beach circulator, and the parking garage operate during Nights of Lights.
Nights of Lights begins at dusk on Saturday, November 21, and ends on Monday, January 18, 2027.
Free Parking and Two Types of Free Shuttles
- Free parking and free shuttle rides to and from your car are available on select days during Nights of Lights.
- On Anastasia Island, the free STAR Beach Shuttle travels in a loop during Nights of Lights. That shuttle runs on a loop on Anastasia Island, picking people up and dropping them off on the east side of the bridge.
Parking Lots and Shuttle Rides
How Does it Work?
Park for free in one of the lots outside of town. Take a free shuttle bus to the Visitor Information Center, and enjoy all that Nights of Lights has to offer. Then, meet the free shuttle bus at the Visitor Center and ride back to your car.
When Do the Free Shuttles Operate in 2026/27?
- 4:00 to 11:00 pm. on Light-Up! Night, November 21.
- 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on December 5 (the day of the Christmas Parade).
- 1:00 to 11:00 p.m. on the remaining 21 high-attendance days during Nights of Lights.
- November: 27 and 28
- December: 4, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31
- January: 1 and 2
Where Will You Park?
Three lots will be open when the shuttles operate:
- St. Johns County Health Department, 200 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, off U.S. 1
- Broudy's Lot, 198 West King Street, St. Augustine, off U.S. 1
- San Marco Lot, 301 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine
Days of Particularly Heavy Traffic
Here are the special events that will impact the traffic and the shuttles:
- Light-UP! Night, Saturday, November 21, 2026, beginning at 4:00 p.m. Shuttles start at 4:00 p.m. See below for information about the special Park-and-Ride shuttle from Anastasia Island.
- Christmas Parade, Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. The shuttles start operating at 8:00 a.m. for the Christmas Parade.
- Regatta of Lights, Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Coming from Ponte Vedra? View the boats from the Vilano Fishing Pier. Coming from Anastasia? View the boats from the bridge. The viewing space on the bayfront is limited due to the construction.
Special Light-Up! Night Shuttle on Anastasia Island
On Saturday, November 21, 2026, park in one of two lots on Anastasia Island and use the Free Park-and-Ride Shuttle, provided by Historic Tours of America. This shuttle operates from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., traveling between the two lots and the east (Anastasia) side of the Bridge of Lions. You will have to walk across the bridge to get to town, and walk back across the bridge to pick up the shuttle when you want to return to your car.
- Anastasia Baptist Church, 1650 A1A South
- R.B. Hunt Elementary School, 125 Magnolia Drive (off A1A South)
Why Use the Lots and Shuttle Service?
- It's free.
- It's easy. You avoid the hassle of driving around (and around) the city streets looking for a parking spot.
- Third, Nights of Lights is a walking event and a tour event. Leave your car in a free lot, take a free shuttle to the Visitor Information Center, walk around town, and ride a trolley, a red train, a golf cart, or a pedi-cab.
- When the shuttles are operating, the parking garage charges $40.00 after 1:00 p.m. Before 1:00 p.m., and on any day the shuttles don't operate, the garage charges $20.00 for the day.
- This fee does not apply to St. Johns County residents who have registered with ParkStAug. Residents are encouraged to register online or at the city office on Bridge Street before Nights of Lights starts. Having the ParkStAug app does not guarantee you a space in the garage.
STAR Beach Shuttle for Nights of Lights
During the Nights of Lights Season, the STAR bus circulates on an Anastasia Island route, beginning at 5:00 p.m.
- The shuttle heads from the Bridge of Lions on A1A to The Quality Inn & Suites, 901 A1A Beach Blvd., stopping at several locations on the way.
- At the Quality Inn, the shuttle turns back toward the Bridge of Lions, stopping at other locations along the way.
- All passengers disembark near the Bridge of Lions, and the shuttle turns back to make another loop.
- Things to know about the loop:
- Most stops don't have public parking, but are within walking distance of parking either in a lot or on a street. Do not park in a hotel lot unless you are a guest. You will be towed.
- The stop near the Bridge of Lions is a 5- to 10-minute walk from the bridge. To get downtown, you have to walk across the bridge. It's a great opportunity to view the lights.
- The bus will not make additional stops. You cannot flag it down and have to get on or off at a designated stop.
