26 Things We’re Looking Forward to Seeing in 2026
01/05/2026
Hey, Midtown! It’s a brand new year, filled with possibilities and anticipation for more good things coming to our city. Here’s a rundown of 26 district-defining projects, events, milestones and shared wins we’re looking forward to seeing in 2026. Let’s go!
What's Next for Getting Around
1. Opening the 15th Street Extension: When completed later this summer, the new street between Williams and West Peachtree streets will create more mobility options for people driving, walking, biking and connecting to MARTA's Arts Center Station.
2. Completing 10th Street Bridge Improvements: Top-side pedestrian, bicycle, vehicular and traffic operations features are continuing to take shape on the bridge, a crucial link between Midtown and West Midtown that 35K people navigate daily.
3. Revitalized Spring Street (US/19 Corridor): New upgrades including a barrier-separated bike lane, streetscaping and sidewalk improvements, are coming into focus on the top end of Spring Street fronting SCAD and the Center for Puppetry Arts.
4. Complete Street Improvements on Piedmont Avenue: Improvements coming to this corridor will create a northbound pairing to complement Juniper Street improvements and make it easier for people to access Piedmont Park.
5. Sleek New MARTA Railcars Streaking Down the Tracks: Who isn’t excited to take a ride in the brand new railcars, complete with snazzy upgrades? We're watching for updates from MARTA on when the new fleet will start operating.
6. Plus, MARTA Next-Gen Fare System and Service Upgrades: The new "Better Breeze" fare system will allow riders to pay seamlessly with credit cards, Breeze card or phone apps.
7. No Right on Red Policy Takes Effect: This new law makes it safer for people walking, motorists, and people riding scooters and bikes in Midtown, Downtown and Castleberry Hill, and ATLDOT has already begin installing signage in the area.
Land Use and Development
8. The Next Buildings Opening Their Doors: New development that is scheduled to deliver in 2026 will add some 350 residential units at the site of Atlanta’s tallest tower in 30 years, 404K SF of institutional space and 20K SF of retail space, as Midtown’s mixed-use momentum continues to surge into the new year.
A New Atlanta Landmark on the Horizon
9. Finalizing the Design for the New 98 14th Street Park in Midtown: Our team has been working with a talented group of designers across a range of disciplines to envision a premier public space, a four-acre destination that our entire city can be proud of, and we can’t wait to show you the design concept in 2026.
A More Vibrant Street-Level Experience
10. Bringing Interim Use Improvements to 98 14th Street: The first steps toward creating a new gathering space in Midtown are already underway, with temporary site improvements that will create a leveled grass lawn ready for public use and events by summertime.
11. Experiencing 80+ Free Community Events Produced by Midtown Alliance: Get ready for more of the free outdoor events you love, from live music performances to fitness classes. Watch for more info on dates soon!
12. Reveling in Canine Couture at the 4th Annual Midtown Mutt Gala: This adorable social event gets bigger each year we produce it, and 2026 will be the biggest doggy fashion show yet. Mark your calendar now: the 2026 Midtown Mutt Gala takes place Sunday, May 3.
13. Reimagining Peachtree Street: Midtown Alliance and its partners have been busy gathering community input and thinking big about the ways ATL’s signature street can be improved through design changes. The goals? Create a more vibrant street and safer conditions for everyone. Work in 2026 will include moving the initiative from concept to design.
14. Continuing the Trend of Less Property Crime, Including Theft from Auto: The most prevalent type of crime in the district is items being stolen from parked cars. But Midtown Blue and APD have been making steady progress by working in partnership with parking operators to audit security and refine strategies to achieve a reduction in year-over-year incidents based on data through late-November 2025.
15. Gearing Up for More Midtown Walk Challenge and Biketober Events: Bolstered by strong participation from Midtown workers and residents, these fun and active challenge events are helping more people discover Midtown on foot and by bike … and win cool prizes. Is this the year that YOU will get involved?
16. Showing Out for Parades: Streets are for more than just moving cars – they are also for hosting parades that bring people together. And Peachtree Street in Midtown Atlanta is the route of choice for a number of annual parades and events that celebrate the best of our city. Watch for details about the Atlanta St. Patrick’s Parade, Atlanta Pride Parade, Georgia Veterans Parade, Peachtree Road Race, the return of Atlanta Streets Alive and more.
Art! Everywhere!
17. Welcoming New Commissioned Public Art to Midtown: Midtown Alliance’s Heart of the Arts program has cultivated a unique way to bring commercial property owners and talented artists together to create commissioned art. This spring, artist-in-residence Aysha Pennerman is creating a bold mural on the facade of the All Saints’ Episcopal Church parking deck, and you can be part of it. Here’s how.
FIFA World Cup 2026!
18. Welcoming the World to Midtown Atlanta: Fun fact … only two cities in the USA have ever hosted both a World Cup and an Olympics. That would be Atlanta and Los Angeles. This summer promises to be epic, between eight soccer matches over the span of a month, welcoming thousands of international visitors, and putting our best foot forward to create awesome memories for every fan.
Anniversaries Aplenty for Midtown Arts and Cultural Institutions
19. Atlanta History Center 100th Anniversary: Founded in 1926 as the Atlanta Historical Society, the Atlanta History Center expanded in Midtown in the mid-1990s at the site of Margaret Mitchell's residence.
20. Atlanta Botanical Garden 50th Anniversary: The seeds that were sown in 1976 have flourished over the years, with the Garden welcoming 760K visitors each year.
21. High Museum 100th Anniversary: Hosting more than 20K works of art, the High Museum of Art is a special place for art lovers inspired by past artists and invigorated by current trendsetters. The High has been the artistic center of Atlanta since 1926, when Harriett “Hattie” High donated her family’s Peachtree Road residence.
22. Atlanta Dogwood Festival 90th Anniversary: In Atlanta, spring doesn’t start until the Atlanta Dogwood Festival. It’s as simple as that. The first Dogwood Festival was in 1936, and today it is a springtime tradition. For the first time, there will be a nominal fee to enter the Atlanta Dogwood Festival in 2026.
More Community Dialog
23. Rallying the Community at the 2026 Midtown Alliance Annual Meeting: More than 1,000 business and civic leaders attend this annual event to imagine the future of Midtown and find their role in it. Stay tuned, as we are working to announce a date for this event soon.
24. Bringing Young Professionals Together: Midtown Alliance’s “Young Professionals of Midtown” group is enrolling new members who want to get involved in making Midtown an exceptional urban place. Those between the ages of 22-40 can get plugged into this group to meet others and take on service projects, attend professional development events and more.
25. Helping Define the Amenities and Features for Midtown’s New Park: We’re spinning up a series of community engagement events and activities to help put a finer point on the things you want to experience at the new 98 14th Street park. Watch for more details about an online survey and public open house events coming in Q1.
26. Hearing from You, Whether It’s Praise, Questions or Constructive Feedback: Midtown Alliance wants to hear from you in 2026. Happy with the outcome of a project or service you received? Got suggestions on what we can do better? Question about who to contact to resolve an issue? You can drop us a line anytime at Info@MidtownATL.com and we’ll respond.
Cheers to a new year! Let's get started!