Local News
Downtown Lights Draw Record Crowds to the Riverwalk
Thousands of residents lined the Riverwalk on Friday night as the city switched on its new waterfront lighting plan, a project city leaders say will stretch the downtown evening hours well into the fall.
The display washes the skyline and nearby bridges in warm gold and cool white. Families paused along the railing to take photos, while nearby cafes kept tables on the sidewalk later than usual. Officials estimated more than 12,000 visitors in the first two hours.
“We wanted the river to feel like a place people choose after dinner, not just a route they walk through,” said Maya Ortiz, director of the downtown business alliance. “The lights make the water readable. You can see the city looking back at you.”
The $4.8 million project replaces aging fixtures along six blocks of the river and adds timed sequences for holidays and civic events. Funding came from a mix of tourism grants and private donations from property owners who expect later dinner traffic.
Not every neighbor is sold. Some residents in nearby towers asked the city to dim the brightest spans after 11 p.m. so bedroom windows stay dark. Engineers say those settings can be adjusted without shutting the display down.
City hall plans three more lighting weekends this month and will publish a public comment form next week.