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Lowry Avenue bridge lighting policy

Honoring events, people and place

The Lowry Avenue Bridge at the Lowry Avenue crossing of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis has multi-color lights to illuminate the arches. The bridge normally displays blue lights but is lit in other colors for certain holidays and events. Organizations may request special lighting by completing the application, to recognize a specific cause or commemorate or enhance a specific community event. The county does not grant requests of a private nature such as birthdays or personal anniversaries.

Submit your application at least 14 days before your event using either method:

  • Online or pdf application (preferred)
  • Letter with organization’s name, description and date of the event, and color of lighting requested

The county may waive the 14-day requirement when it’s not practical, such as a school or professional sports championship.

The county administrator reviews and makes a determination on all applications for special lighting and that decision is final. Special lighting for approved applications begins at 6 p.m. on the requested date and ends at 6 a.m. the following morning.

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The county board has approved special lighting for holidays and other annual events. The county administrator has approved special lighting requests marked with an asterisk (*).

Upcoming lighting schedule

May 2022

  • May 16 – International Celiac Awareness Day (green*)
  • May 17 – Minnesota American Indian Month (yellow, white, red, black)
  • May 21 – Mental Health Awareness Month (green*)
  • May 26 – Lupus Awareness Month (purple*)
  • May 30 – Memorial Day (red, white, blue)

June 2022

  • June 2 – Unveiling Prince Mural in Downtown Minneapolis (purple*)
  • June 5 – National Gun Violence Awareness Day (orange*)
  • June 7 – Caring Bridge 25th Anniversary (orange, purple*)
  • June 9 – Minnesota Internship Center (MNIC) high school graduation (gold, white, black*)
  • June 14 – Flag Day (red, white, blue)
  • June 18 – Father’s Day observed (light blue)
  • June 19 – Juneteenth (red, black, green, gold)
  • June 21 – Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month (purple*)
  • June 25 – Twin Cities Pride 50th Anniversary (turquoise*)
  • June 29 – Worldwide National Scleroderma Awareness Month (turquoise*)

July 2022

  • July 4 – Independence Day (red, white, blue)
  • July 22 – World Fragile X Day (turquoise*)

August 2022

  • August 1 – 35W Bridge 15th Anniversary Memorial (red, white, blue)
  • August 9 – Primary Election (red, white, blue)

September 2022

  • September 1 – Ovarian Cancer Awareness (turquoise*)
  • September 5 – Labor Day (red, white, blue)
  • September 11 – Patriot’s Day (red, white, blue)
  • September 23 – Bi+ Visibility Day (magenta, purple, blue*)
  • September TBD – Vikings home opener (purple, gold)

October 2022

  • October TBD – Gophers homecoming game (maroon, gold)
  • October TBD – Timberwolves home opener (blue, white, green)
  • October 7 – Go Red for Dyslexia (red*)
  • October 15 – Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (pink, blue*)
  • October 23 – Red Ribbon Week (red*)
  • October 31 – Halloween (black, orange)

November 2022

  • November 7 - Color the World Orange, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) (orange*)
  • November 8 – General Election (red, white, blue)
  • November 11 – Veterans’ Day (red, white, blue)
  • November 17 – World Pancreatic Cancer Day (purple*)
  • November 18 – National Injury Prevention Day (green*)
  • November 24 – Thanksgiving (red, orange, brown)

December 2022

  • December 18 – Hannukah (blue, white)
  • December 25 – Christmas (red, green, white sparkle)
  • December 26 – Kwanzaa (red, black, green)
  • December 31 – New Year's Eve (red, white, blue)

Previous lighting schedule

January 2022

  • January 1 – New Years Day (red, white, blue)
  • January 17 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (red, white, blue)

February 2022

  • February 2 – Black History Month (red, black, green and gold)
  • February 4 – American Heart Association, National Wear Red Day (red*)
  • February 12 – Cholangiocarcinoma (green*)
  • February 14 – Valentine's Day (red, pink, white)
  • February 21 – Presidents' Day (red, white, blue)
  • February 23 – National Eating Disorders Association (green, blue*)
  • February 25 – Stand with Ukraine (gold, blue)
  • February 26 – Stand with Ukraine (gold, blue)
  • February 27 – Stand with Ukraine (gold, blue)
  • February 28 – Rare Disease Day (green, blue, purple, pink*)

March 2022

  • March 5 – Light the night for Amyloidosis (red*)
  • March 8 – National Colorectal Cancer Awareness (blue*)
  • March 10 – World Kidney Day (orange*)
  • March 15 – Women's History Month (purple)
  • March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day (green)
  • March 21 – World Down Syndrome Day (gold, blue*)
  • March 22 – National Nutrition Month (green)
  • March 26 – National Endometriosis Awareness Month (gold*)

April 2022

  • April 1 – NCAA Women's Final Four (orange, light blue*)
  • April 8 – Twins opener (red, blue)
  • April 12 – Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month (blue*)
  • April 13 – Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) Hope International, International FND awareness day (orange, blue*)
  • April 16 – World Hemophilia Day (red*)
  • April 17 – Easter (pastel)
  • April 19 – Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day (blue, gold, pink*)
  • April 21 – National Donate Life Month (green, blue*)
  • April 22 – Earth Day (green)
  • April 23 – Timberwolves playoff (blue, green*)
  • April 26 – County Government Appreciation (blue)
  • April 28 – Workers' Memorial Day (red, white, blue)
  • April 29  – Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month (maroon*)
  • April 30 – Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (red, orange, black*)

May 2022

  • May 1 – Mental Health Awareness Month (green*)
  • May 4 – Shine Your Light for Firefighters (red*)
  • May 5 – Cinco de Mayo (green, white, red)
  • May 6 – Go Public Gardens Days (green*)
  • May 7 – Mother’s Day observed (pink)
  • May 8 – Lynx opener (blue, white, green)
  • May 10 – Minnesota Wild playoff (red, green, gold)
  • May 13 – Brother Sister Community Day (pink, light blue*)

Hennepin County Lowry Avenue bridge lighting policy

Adopted December 3, 2013

Hennepin County re‐opened the Lowry Avenue bridge, located at the Lowry Avenue crossing of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis in October 2012. The new bridge is equipped with multi‐color L.E.D. lighting options to illuminate the arches. This guideline is to address external requests for special lighting requests.

Criteria

Lighting of the Lowry Avenue bridge promotes the county, its civic institutions, state and federal holidays, and other public events of community significance. Hennepin County may accept community requests for special lighting to recognize a specific cause or to commemorate or enhance a specific event consistent with this purpose. Specifically excluded would be lighting to celebrate birthdays, personal anniversaries, or events that are primarily private in nature.

Application process

All requests must be submitted in writing (electronic submission preferred), along with contact information for the organization. Requests must also include a description of the event, date of the event, and color of lighting requested. Requests should be submitted at least 14 days before the date on which the bridge would be lit. The county administrator may waive this requirement in instances where 14 days' notice is not practical such as school or professional sports championships.

Approval process

Each request will be reviewed by county administration. The county administrator's decision is final.

Annual bridge lighting plan

The Lowry Avenue bridge annual lighting calendar lists normally scheduled events that do not require an external request. The bridge's default color will be blue. See the calendar for standard lighting events.

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