Luminary Night is an annual tradition hosted by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. From 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, December 4, the Museum grounds will open for an evening community celebration for all ages.

More than 2,000 luminaries are displayed throughout the grounds and on the streets surrounding this historic landmark, creating a magical holiday experience. Lights and holiday décor also adorn the 1876 Keepers’ House and other historic buildings on the property. In addition, 14 Christmas trees are decorated in different themes, with the Nautical tree in the upstairs gallery of the Keepers’ House featuring nautical-themed ornaments donated by people all over the country.

For a special treat, guests can climb the tower for sparkling views of Nights of Lights from the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The event also features visits and photos with Santa, children’s activities and holiday crafts, yuletide refreshments and live performances by community groups. In addition, photo opportunities will be available with characters from Costumers With a Cause throughout the evening.

Holiday performances will be performed by the St. Augustine Youth Chorus, St. Johns County Center for the Arts Chorus and Guitar Ensemble, the Limelight Theatre Show Choir, the Heather Loveland Dance Academy, and the Glad Melody Gang.

St. Augustine Seafood Company will present a check to the Museum at 7 p.m. during the event, with funds raised from the sale of Lighthouse Lemonade.

“We are grateful for the ongoing support of St. Augustine Seafood Company,” said Museum Executive Director Kathy Fleming. “We appreciate this important partnership as we continue to preserve maritime history and keep the light shining.”

The winner of the Heritage Boatworks drawing for the handcrafted Penobscot 13 will take place at 8:30 p.m. during the event.

Luminary Night is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of non-perishable food items which will be donated to St. Francis Housing Crisis Center and Port in the Storm Homeless Youth Center.

Holiday-themed refreshments will be available for purchase throughout the evening. All monetary proceeds will continue the work of the nonprofit Museum’s mission.

For more details about the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, visit staugustinelighthouse.org or call 904-829-0745. Stay updated on social media at facebook.com/staugustinelighthouse, Instagram.com/stauglighthouse, and twitter.com/firstlighthouse.

 

ABOUT THE ST. AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE & MARITIME MUSEUM:

A pivotal navigation tool and unique landmark of St. Augustine for 145 years, the St. Augustine Light Station is host to centuries of history in the Nation’s Oldest Port®. Through interactive exhibits, guided tours and maritime research, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is on a mission to discover, preserve, present and keep alive the stories of the Nation’s Oldest Port® as symbolized by our working lighthouse. We are the parent organization to the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP) and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. (StAugustineLighthouse.org)

 

About the American Alliance of Museums:

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. As the ultimate mark of distinction in the museum field, accreditation signifies excellence and credibility. Accreditation helps to ensure the integrity and accessibility of museum collections, and reinforces the education and public service roles of museums and promote good governance practices and ethical behavior. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions, and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance stands for the broad scope of the museum community. (www.aam-us.org).