ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Every year during the holiday season, the streets of downtown St. Augustine are packed for the city’s annual Nights of Lights, which draws in tourists year after year.
But this year the number of visitors the city saw is something that has raised concerns.
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“Dangerously close to overtourism,’” Nancy Sikes-Kline, the Mayor of St. Augustine, said at a meeting Monday.
At the city commissioner meeting on Jan. 13, they addressed residents’ frustrations. noting that some have had a hard time getting to their homes on some nights because of all the traffic.
And that is something resident Garrett Prince sees firsthand.
“Where I’m at traffic is at a complete standstill,” said Prince. “No cars are moving. There are just people honking constantly.”
And while Nights of Lights is helping local businesses, the owner of South-A-Philly Steaks and Hoagies said his 10-minute drive to work turns into 45.
“Getting into work was a chore,” said local Christopher Holland. “Even the back roads it didn’t work out.”
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And it’s not just cars, City Commissioner Jim Springfield said in a meeting Monday that he’s received complaints about the sidewalks.
“I would love to eliminate all venders during Nights of Lights,” Springfield said during a meeting. “I think that would be something that would help.”
Commissioner Springfield also said they need to find a way to make Nights of Lights acceptable to the residents. As a business owner, this is something Holland would like to see too.
“I don’t see anybody of a regular that I know that comes downtown during this time of year,” said Holland. “It’s unfortunate that there is not a way for the local people to get here as well.”
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