(Editor’s Note: This story was changed to correct a spelling error.)
The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners unanimously agreed Sept. 2 to assist the City of St. Augustine with Nights of Lights during the 2025-26 season with additional funding of $850,000.
At the last County Commission meeting, Commissioner Sarah Arnold pushed for a meeting between the county and city to discuss St. Augustine’s decision to cut the length of Nights of Lights, its most popular event, and how the county might help. The joint meeting took place on Aug. 27.
Earlier this year, the city cut the schedule for this year’s Nights of Lights Festival after last year’s event drew never-before-seen crowds and cost the city an unexpected $325,000 in additional cleanup while angering residents who complained of being trapped by the chaos.
That decision alarmed county officials, who were concerned about lost business.
The city’s mayor, Nancy Sikes-Kline, addressed the county commission with gratitude at the Sept. 2 meeting for their time and financial consideration while underscoring the efforts taken since February by city staff to ensure the continued success of the 31-year-old event.
Vice Mayor Barbara Blonder thanked county commissioners for their partnership on “so many different things.”
“We function together to meet challenges, and that’s why I’m asking you to approve the request of $850,000 so that we can put our best foot forward,” she said.
Blonder also emphasized the diligence taken by the city’s staff to calculate resources to host the event without St. Augustinians bearing its burdens.
“We can’t do this alone,” she said.
Blonder suggested placing a QR code on the side of porta potties to link directly to the Nights of Lights website.
“Our neighbors in this city don’t want to see public bathroom use without bathrooms,” she said. “That’s just not the kind of thing any of us wants to see or experience. So given the fact that the TDC unanimously approved the city’s request. Please support it and let us all put our best foot forward.”
While every resident spoke of supporting the event during public comment, Charlie Hunt described the tradition as gaudy as a super Warlmart of lights.
“It brings down the sense, the quiet and the niceness of how St. Augustine should be,” he told the board. “To have the county provide $850,000 for more transportation and other items listed takes away money for the county and it’s still going to look gaudy.”
Hunt questioned the structure and cost of the electrical plan for the festval’s “millions of lights.”
“The first time I saw it, it was great, it was nice. It felt like a little small town. But now you just went into a mega Buc-ee’s that really takes away from the structure of St. Augustine,” he said.
Commissioner Ann Taylor did not mince words as she objected to using the word gaudy in the same sentence as Nights of Lights. She reiterated her continued support for Nights of Lights, thanking the city, the residents and business owners for their determination into making the event a St. Augustine treasure, while emphasizing the loss of business income related to the decision to shorten the event.
Arnold validated the county’s legal rights for the extra funding and Commissioner Christian Whitehurst added his support with a request for a system of accountability to ensure that monies are spent appropriately, with Commissioner Clay Murphy in agreement.
Following the meeting, Kline told the St. Augustine Record that she was pleased to see the commissioners support the event.
“Bed tax funding is critical to support the significant improvements needed for Nights of Lights,” she said. “What a great example of what can be achieved when we work together.”
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns County Commission unanimously approves $850,000 to help with Nights of Lights
Reporting by Lucia Viti, St. Augustine Record / St. Augustine Record
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