Susan Phillips of the Visit St. Augustine Visitors & Convention Bureau told the City Commission on Nov. 11 that this year's Knights of Lights marketing is focused on digital outreach and a new "Know Before You Go" app that helps visitors find shuttle lots, estimated shuttle times and downtown walking routes; she said the app had reached roughly 15,000 downloads in under a month.

Phillips said the campaign deliberately emphasizes that Nights of Lights is a pedestrian event, not a drive-through, and aims to shift visitors to park-and-ride satellites and shuttles rather than driving downtown repeatedly. The VCB has produced QR tent cards, banner ads, a short video and a mobile app to spread the message.

The presentation came amid extended public comment from Uptown neighborhood residents and merchants who are responding to a temporary residential-permit parking program for the Nights of Lights season (Nov. 15–Jan. 11). Residents told the commission they worked for months on a temporary parking plan to protect livability during the event and urged the city to keep the program intact. Businesses on Cincinnati Avenue and Roadie said the signage is inconsistent, that employee and customer parking will be lost during a critical holiday period, and that shuttles do not currently have dedicated stops within Uptown.

Merchants and residents offered several compromise proposals: limit restrictions to one side of the street, create limited employee hang-tags, prioritize shuttle stop placement in Uptown, or shorten hours and days of restrictions. Commissioners and city staff said the VCB's communications and the app are part of a wider strategy; staff will review signage inconsistencies and shuttle-stop options.

Why it matters: Nights of Lights is a major annual economic and tourism event for St. Augustine. The new app and campaign are intended to reduce congestion, encourage pedestrian activity and distribute visitor traffic. At the same time, temporary parking rules affect daily livelihoods and neighborhood livability, and commissioners signaled willingness to adapt operational details.

What comes next: Staff and the VCB will continue outreach; commissioners directed that town-hall style outreach and shuttle logistics be explored further. The commission also encouraged improved signage clarity and consideration of worker parking hang-tags or one-sided restrictions as mitigation.