Downtown Sacramento Partnership Unveils New K Street Marquee LED Lighting

See the collaborative effort to enhance vibrancy, celebrate community, and reinvigorate one of downtown’s most historic corridors

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (October 27, 2025) – Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) will debut a new, energy-efficient LED lighting system along K Street on Tuesday, November 4 at 5:30 p.m. in Ali Youssefi Square, marking a major investment in the vitality and character of the city’s downtown core.

Stretching from DOCO to the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, the programmable K Street Marquee LED Lighting is designed to do more than brighten the street; it’s meant to strengthen it. The installation improves visibility, enhances pedestrian safety, and fosters a more active, welcoming environment for visitors, residents, and local businesses.

“The K Street Marquee LED Lighting shows the power of partnership in shaping our city’s future,” said Michael Ault, Executive Director of Downtown Sacramento Partnership. “When community partners unite around a shared vision, we bring transformative ideas to life. These lights embody our commitment to reimagine downtown block by block, paying homage to the marquee lights which have lined K Street for generations and enhancing Sacramento’s central promenade for its next era of opportunity.”

The dynamic system – capable of changing colors to mark holidays, community celebrations, and Kings, Republic, Athletics, and Hornets’ victories – was inspired by the high concentration of historic marquees that once lined K Street and still live on in the case of the Crest and Esquire Theatres, honoring the corridor’s past while signaling a new chapter ahead. The lights will also synchronize with events and activations throughout the year, helping create a cohesive visual identity for downtown.

Beyond aesthetics, the project supports increased pedestrian activity throughout the evening hours, as well as bicycle and Sacramento Transit utilization, and embraces the foundational principle of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) by improving sightlines and increasing activity after dark. Better lighting encourages more foot traffic, which in turn promotes safety, supports local businesses, and builds community pride.

The initiative aligns with DSP’s ongoing placemaking strategy to uplift vibrancy, create more inviting public spaces that drive economic development, and foster social collisions in the heart of the capital region. It also complements other Downtown Sacramento Foundation (DSF) lighting projects, including the Old Sacramento Waterfront sign, strengthening visual continuity and identity across the district.

This project reflects a true collaborative effort between DSP, DSF, the City’s Department of Public Works and Office of Innovation & Economic Development, community partners including Michael Sestak of Sestak Lighting Design, Sacramento Regional Transit, and SMUD, as well as city leadership, including Mayor Kevin McCarty, who was instrumental in securing state funding when he served on the Assembly to make the project possible.

“When we invest in placemaking, we invest in people,” said Scott Ford, Deputy Director of Downtown Sacramento Partnership. “Projects like this are proof that small, thoughtful design can have a big impact on how locals and visitors experience our city. Downtown Sacramento is truly a neighborhood that belongs to all residents and guests of our community – we want to ensure we are creating and maintaining an environment which is a positive reflection of Sacramento to the rest of the world.”

The November 4 celebration will serve as the inaugural lighting event, inviting the public to see the new system in action. The event will also highlight the broader strategy to activate K Street with local artists, live performances, and community programming throughout the year, thanks to the newly established Entertainment Zone in Ali Youssefi Square.

For more information on the inaugural lighting event, click here.

For more information about Downtown Sacramento Partnership, please visit: www.downtownsac.org.

PRESS: Download photos here.

About Downtown Sacramento Partnership

Downtown Sacramento Partnership is a nonprofit, property-based improvement district (PBID) that serves as the collective voice for the community, including residents, businesses, and property owners located within the 66-blocks of the downtown core. Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s programming and activations cultivate a thriving 24-hour district where culture, business, and development collide to make downtown Sacramento a premier destination in the region to live, work, play, and invest. For more information, visit www.downtownsac.org and connect with us on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.