Lowry Avenue Bridge lightings

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 its arches. Ordinarily lit blue, the bridge may be lit special colors for certain holidays, events, and causes.

Lightings take place daily from sunset to sunrise.

Share your photos of the bridge on social media by using the hashtag #LowryBridge and tagging Hennepin County.

Request a special lighting

Organizations may request a special Lowry Avenue Bridge lighting in recognition of a cause or public event of community significance. The county administrator makes a determination on all applications.

Apply at least 14 days in advance by submitting an online or PDF form, or by sending a letter with your organization’s name, description and date of event, and requested lighting color.

Application for special lighting (online)

Application for special lighting (PDF)

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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

February 2025

February 1 – Black History Month (red, gold, green, black)
February 7 – Wear Red Day- A Day to wear red to spread awareness for heart disease and stroke (red*)
February 10 – World Epilepsy Day (purple*)
February 14 – Valentine’s Day (red, pink, white)
February 15 – International Angelman Day (blue*)
February 17 – Presidents’ Day (red, white, blue)
February 18 – School Bus Driver Appreciation Day (gold*)
February 20 – "Light It Green" for World Cholangiocarcinoma (green*)
February 23 - 2025 Fish Hut Largest Free Ice Fishing Event: Promote Positive Mental Health through Fishing (turquoise*)
February 24 – Solidarity with Ukraine (gold, blue*)
February 26 – Eating Disorders Awareness Week (#EDAW) (green, blue*)
February 28 – Rare Disease Day (pink, orange, green, blue, light blue, purple*)

March 2025

March 1 – Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Awareness (turquoise*)
March 2 – Glow of Hope: Shining Light on Autoimmune Disease (pink, blue*)
March 3 – Kidney Cancer Awareness Month (orange*)
March 10 – SUDC Awareness Month (dark blue, yellow*)
March 15 – 5^th Annual Rami’s Heart Lighting Ceremony (gold*)
March 16 – National Poison Prevention Week (red)
March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day (green)
March 24 – World Tuberculosis Day (red)
March 26 – Epilepsy Awareness Day (purple)

April 2025

April 3 – Twins Home Opener (red, blue)
April 11 – World Parkinson Day (blue*)
April 18 – National Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month (maroon, white*)
April 19 – Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) Awareness (pink, gold, light blue*)
April 20 – National Infertility Awareness Week (orange)
April 21 – National Volunteer Recognition Week (blue)
April 28 – Worker’s Memorial Day (red, white, blue)
April 30 – End of Sexual Violence Awareness Month (turquoise*)

May 2025

May 1 – National Mental Health Awareness Month (green)
May 3 – National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend (red)
May 5 – Fibromuscular Dysplasia Awareness Month (red, blue*)
May 11 – Mother’s Day (pink)
May 26 – Memorial Day (red, white, blue)

June 2025

June 1 – Loeys-Dietz Syndrome Awareness Month (turquoise*)
June 14 – Flag Day (red, white, blue)
June 15 – Father’s Day (light blue)
June 20 – 2026 Special Olympics USA Games One Year Out Celebration (red, orange, blue, light blue, purple)
June 25 – World Vitiligo Day (purple)

Previous lighting schedule

January 2025

January 1 – New Year’s Day (red, white, blue)
January 8 – Birth Defects Awareness Month (pink, blue*)
January 11 – Human Trafficking Awareness Day - #WearBlueDay (blue*)
January 12-13 – Purple Pride for Vikings' Wild Care playoff game (purple*)
January 20 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (red, white, blue)

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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