Iconic Boathouse Row Going Dark For Months As Lights Get Replaced

PHILADELPHIA — One of Philadelphia's most iconic landmarks will be getting a bit of a facelift soon, according to officials.

The Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Wednesday announced Boathouse Row will go dark for most of 2023.

This is because the iconic lights along the boathouses will be replaced.

A $2.1 million project to replace and upgrade lights on the 15 Kelly Drive properties is scheduled to begin Monday.

According to officials, the lights have seen outages due to ongoing maintenance issues, and this new project will completely redo and upgrade the entire system to reduce future maintenance needs.

Once complete, the new system will have 6,400 individual LED lights, with 16 million color combinations.

The lights will be able to change from one color to another or be programmed in a way that appears to make them "dance" along the boathouses.

Lights along Boathouse Row debuted in 1979 and got upgrades in 2005 and again in 2016, when they were refurbished.

The project's lengthy duration is due in part to the properties being able to undergo repairs that were hindered by the existing lighting system.

Funds to replace the lights and underwrite the lighting project were provided by the Joanna McNeil Trust and the City of Philadelphia.

“We are so grateful to Joanna McNeil Lewis for her steadfast support of this project and her unwavering commitment to ensuring its successful completion,” said Maura McCarthy, PhD., Chief Executive Officer of Fairmount Park Conservancy. “To have such a dedicated champion for this Philadelphia landmark is an extraordinary gift for our city. Fairmount Park Conservancy is experienced in managing complex projects, and we are pleased to be entrusted with such a unique and important plan to help the City of Philadelphia shine brighter.”

"The light reflected on the Schuylkill River from Boathouse Row is there as we celebrate big moments as a City," said Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. "We are incredibly grateful to the project funders, and our partners at the Schuylkill Navy and Fairmount Park Conservancy, for working tirelessly to preserve and modernize the historic lighting traditions that make Boathouse Row such a cherished public space for all Philadelphians."