425 York St., Newport
Kicking off Friday, Nov. 20, Winter Nights, River Lights will illuminate the pedestrian bridge with 1,000 purple-and-white lights, a 25-foot christmas "wish" tree, projections and seasonal music played over speakers spanning the bridge. Due to the pandemic, the Purple People Bridge venue was unable to host events, which typically contribute to funds used for holiday displays. Newport Southbank Bridge Company, which owns the bridge, typically spends about $10,000 annually for the holiday display. Because of the financial discrepancy, they had to make the difficult decision to cancel this year's light show. But a Christmas miracle ensued. North American Properties, the team behind Newport on the Levee's redevelopment, and some other local contributors stepped up to secure the funding for the illumination. The official tree lighting ceremony (which is not open to the public) will kick off at 6 p.m. on Nov. 20, and the display will be up through Jan. 15.
Photo: Provided by Winter Nights, River Lights organizers