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Lowry Avenue bridge lighting policy

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.

Video of Lowry Bridge lighting

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Bridge lighting calendar

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

September 2020

  • September 30 – International Recovery Day (purple, white*)

October 2020

  • October TBD – Timberwolves home opener (blue, white, green)
  • October 7 – International Trigeminal Neuralgia Day (teal*)
  • October 13 – National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day (pink, green, turquoise*)
  • October 15 – Infants Remembered in Silence (pink, blue*)
  • October 31 – Halloween (black, orange)

November 2020

  • November 2 – Color the World Orange (complex regional pain syndrome) (orange*)
  • November 3 – Minnesota General Election Day (red, white, blue*)
  • November 11 – Veterans’ Day (red, white, blue)
  • November 26 – Thanksgiving (red, orange, brown)

December 2020

  • December 10 – Hanukkah (blue, white)
  • December 25 – Christmas (red, green)
  • December 26 – Kwanzaa (red, black, green)
  • December 31 – New Year’s Eve (multi-colored)

Past lighting schedule

January 2020

  • January 10 – MN Vikings/playoffs (purple, gold*)
  • January 20 – Martin Luther King Day (red, white, blue)
  • January 21 – Recognition of special election day House Seat 60A for NE Minneapolis (red, blue, white)*

February 2020

  • February 4 – General Election Day (red, blue, white*)
  • February 7 – National Wear Red Day – women's heart health (red*)
  • February 14 – Valentine’s Day (red, pink, white)
  • February 17 – Presidents’ Day (red, white, blue)
  • February 25 – National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (green, blue*)

March 2020

  • March 1 – National Endometriosis Awareness Month (gold*)
  • March 3 – Super Tuesday (elections) (red, white, blue*)
  • March 9 – Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (blue*)
  • March 12 – World Kidney Day (orange*)
  • March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day (green)
  • March 28 – National Endometriosis Month (gold*)

April 2020

  • April 1 – Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month (purple*)
  • April 17 – World Hemophilia Day (red*)
  • April 19 – Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day (pink, gold, blue)
  • April 21 – National Workzone Awareness Week (orange*)
  • April 22 – Earth Day (green*)
  • April 26 – Pancreatic cancer victim awareness (purple*)

May 2020

  • May 8 – National Public Gardens Day (green*)
  • May 9 – William Syndrome Awareness Month (red, green, blue*)
  • May 10 – Mother’s Day (pink)
  • May 24 – Eritrean Independence Day (red, green, blue)
  • May 25 – Memorial Day (red, white, blue)
  • May 26 – National awareness of myasthenia gravis (teal*)

Minneapolis Public Schools

Special lighting in support of seniors who are graduating this year

  • May 29 – Edison High School (blue, gold*)
  • May 30 – North High School (blue, white*)
  • May 31 – Henry High School (red, white*)
  • June 1 – FAIR Senior High (maroon, black, white*)
  • June 2 – Heritage Academy (green, gold*)
  • June 3 – Longfellow High School (black, gold*)
  • June 4 – Roosevelt High School (maroon, gold*)
  • June 5 – South High School (black, orange*)
  • June 6 – Southwest High School (white, purple*)
  • June 7 – Transition Plus (blue, white, gold*)
  • June 8 – Washburn High School (blue, orange*)
  • June 9 – Wellstone International High School (green, white*)
  • June 11 – MNIC High School graduation (gold, black, white*)
  • June 15 – Edison High School (blue, gold)
  • June 16 – North High School (royal blue, white)
  • June 17 – Henry High School (gray, red)
  • June 18 – South High School (black, orange)
  • June 19 – Southwest High School (purple, white)

June 2020

  • June 13 – Scleroderma Awareness Month (teal or turquoise*)
  • June 14 – Flag Day (red, white, blue)
  • June 20 – Alzheimer's Association Longest Day (purple*)
  • June 21 – Father’s Day (light blue)
  • June 22 – National Pollinators Week (yellow*)
  • June 27 – Twin Cities Pride Festival (rainbow colors*)

July 2020

  • July 1 – 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Consulate in MN (red, white*)
  • July 4 – Independence Day (red, white, blue)
  • July 22 – National Fragile X Awareness Day (teal*)
  • July 27 and 28 – Twins Home Opener (blue, white*)

August 2020

  • August 1 – 35W Bridge Memorial (red, white, blue)
  • August 11 – Minnesota Primary Election Day (red, white, blue*)
  • August 26 – Forward into the Light, a commemoration of the women's suffrage movement and of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment (purple, gold*)

September 2020

  • September 7 – Labor Day (red, white, blue)
  • September 10 – Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (teal*)
  • September 11 – Patriot’s Day (red, white, blue)
  • September 13 – Vikings home opener (purple, gold)
  • September 14 – Girl Scouts River Valleys (green*)
  • September 15 – World Lymphoma Awareness Day (red*)

Official lighting policy

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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