By Craig Smith (Photo: Bob McClenahan)
The Napa Lighted Art Festival is just around the corner. It’s a month-long opportunity to enjoy
artwork from international, as well as, local student artists. Last year, over 70,000 people,
mostly locals, attended. In fact, the second Saturday of last year’s event drew more people to
Downtown Napa than anything else has in the past seven years. Everyone loves the magic of
the lighted displays, children and adults alike. It’s the perfect family event, and is free and open
to the public. This year, the event runs from January 18 through February 16. The first week
features three projection artwork sites. You can get all the details at donapa.com/lights.
As the City of Napa’s website states: “This a celebration of creative arts, technology, lights, and
supports innovative techniques using light and light technologies as a growing art
medium.” Sixteen artists contribute work, including five of international fame, as well as, four
local students. The event is the brainchild of the City of Napa, which contributes countless
hours to planning and running the event.
Organizing and operating the Napa Lighted Art Festival takes a lot of man hours, and comes at a
steep price – over $300,000 every year. There are numerous local sponsors, but it’s fair to say
that tourists pay for most of it.
“All hotels in the City of Napa have financially supported the event from the beginning,” said
Sara Brooks, General Manager of the Historic Napa Mill and the Napa River Inn. The hotels’
support comes through the Napa Tourism Improvement District (Napa TID), which was formed
in 2009. The District raises money by charging guests an additional half a percent above their
room rates. That money is spent with three goals in mind – putting heads in beds, enhancing
guests’ experiences, and supporting locally based events, such as this one. “This year, hotels are
contributing $180,000 to the Napa Lighted Art Festival.” Sara stresses that this is not money
coming from the City’s general fund. “This is all coming from money visitors spend when staying
in Napa.” The Napa Lighted Art Festival is just one event supported by City of Napa hotels –
Napa TID is the biggest sponsor of the 4 th of July fireworks and laser lights show. Last year, they
funded half a dozen Napa causes, from a program at the Napa County Historical Society to the
Napa Table, an event organized by the Downtown Napa Association (DNA).
“Increasingly, everybody comes together to support events,” said Bill La Liberte, Executive
Director of the DNA. By “everybody,’ he means the DNA, the Napa TID, the City of Napa and
Visit Napa Valley. Another major player in funding different events and projects are the
Downtown and Oxbow property owners, who assess themselves through the Property-Based
Improvement District (PBID). When all the agencies work together, they are able to operate
from different strengths, which could mean financial support, or management, manpower and
marketing assistance.” The DNA contributes to the Lighted Art Festival by giving them
marketing support,” said Bill. “The Napa Table is a DNA event, but relies on major funding from
both the TID and PBID. That event, is also a fundraiser for the Napa Food Bank. “We’ve raised
close to $170,000 for the Food Bank over the past three years,” said La Liberte.
While the DNA is generally known for events such as Chefs Market, Main Street Reunion Car
Show and many others over the years, they serve as a sort of incubator to smaller events. In
2023, they helped the South of First Street merchants (SOFI) organize and fund their inaugural
event, which grew into 2024’s Battle of the Bands. “We also organize the Christmas Tree
Lighting and Napa Christmas Parade. Partnership with others is critical – without the
infrastructure support the City of Napa provides, neither of the Christmas events would
happen.”
PBID, for which La Liberte also serves as executive director, funds many programs, which again,
do not cost locals anything. “PBID pays for and erects the Christmas Tree in Veterans Park, as
well as, all the building and bridge lighting and the garlands on lampposts,” he said. “They host
the Ambassador program, and are partners with the City of Napa for the hanging flower baskets
and sidewalk and garage cleaning programs.”
March 29 and 30, the DNA will introduce a new event, also with the support of PBID, TID and
the City of Napa, as part of the Mustard Celebration. “The new event will be a locally oriented
event with 33 artists, 33 tasting and tap rooms and 33 restaurant vendors. If you attended and
loved the Downtown Mustard Festival event back in the day, you will love this one,” said La
Liberte. This summer, PBID will also be funding an entryway sign over First Street near the
railroad tracks, welcoming people into the Oxbow District.
By working together, these different agencies are able to provide locals with some amazing
events and stunning projects. Maybe the best part of it all this is that, ultimately, visitors pay
for a great deal of it. Isn’t that the perfect arrangement?
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