Atlanta Streets Alive Open Street Event Returns to Peachtree Street This Fall
08/03/2023
Get psyched, Midtown! Atlanta Streets Alive is coming back to Peachtree Street after a hiatus. And you can enjoy the open street event on multiple dates this fall and into 2024. The event will become a series, with fall 2023 dates planned for Sundays from 2-6pm on September 24, October 22, and November 19. Then it continues in 2024 on the third Sunday of the month from April-November.
The planned route will run down Peachtree Street from 14th Street in Midtown all the way to Baker Street downtown.
The 2022 Midtown Community Survey uncovered pent-up demand for this event, which drew crowds upwards of 100K people in past years. It embodies everything our organization values - altogether, Midtown streets are the largest public space in the district - and we’re excited to partner with the City on this next chapter.
ATLDOT recently hosted a virtual meeting to reintroduce the event and provide an overview of how it will work. You can view the presentation slides at this link. Here are five key takeaways you should know about:
It’s under new management, but with familiar partners.
The City of Atlanta’s Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) is picking up where the former Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, known now as Propel ATL, left off. Propel ATL is working under contract with ATLDOT to provide event support. Midtown Alliance and Central Atlanta Progress are also on board as partners to support the event and conduct local outreach.
There are opportunities for local organizations to host activities …
Atlanta Streets Alive is an economic generator for local businesses. The two things that set this event apart from other festivals are that it focuses on businesses that exist along the route and nearby and that the prior incarnation was known for offering quality activities and experiences along the route that promote healthy living, transportation options and civic pride … all essential to what makes our city exceptional.
Midtown Alliance staff are planning fun activities to get attendees into the spirit, get them physically active and entertain them. But we’ll need more partners to contribute their own activities on Peachtree Street … and take pride in the Midtown community.
Businesses and organizations need to register their proposed activities with the City of Atlanta by filling out a simple online form. This also helps Midtown Alliance and the City to promote your participation widely on social media, signage and other channels.
And there are opportunities for you to get involved as a volunteer.
Spend the day helping to produce the event and get to know others while having fun doing different tasks from collecting survey traffic to traffic management and setup. There are many different roles and responsibilities for volunteers. ATLDOT plans to convene a training webinar prior to the September event.
City laws regarding open container will apply during the event.
Regular liquor license requirements for establishments will still apply. No alcohol sales will be permitted in the street or public sidewalk. And there are no permissions to consume alcohol off-premises.
What you can expect re: street closure window and crossing Peachtree Street:
ATLDOT will begin closing Peachtree Street at noon on event days, with the events officially scheduled to begin at 2pm. And after the event concludes at 6pm, the street closure will remain until 7pm to allow for move-out and cleanup.
While Peachtree Street will be closed to cars between 14th Street and into downtown, several cross-street access points will accommodate east/west travel across Peachtree:
- 14th
- 10th
- North
- Ponce
- Pine
- Linden
- Ralph McGill
- Edgewood
- Mitchell
- John Portman
- Baker
APD will direct cross-traffic.
Come and learn more about what’s in the works for the return of Atlanta Streets Alive.
Attend our Mix-It-Up Midtown event on August 23 to speak with representatives from ATLDOT about the event and get involved. Tix info.