That rumble heard across intown Atlanta on Saturday afternoon wasn’t thunder—it was the 15th incarnation of the wondrous Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade being cancelled due to approaching, intense storms. (Okay, maybe thunder, too.)
It marked a rare occasion that the Lantern Parade, one of Atlanta’s most unique and coveted traditions, didn’t step off as planned. And it begged the question: Will the cancelled festivities be rescheduled, or will Atlantans have to wait until next year to whoop at hundreds of glowing creations meandering by on the Beltline?
Beltline spokesperson Keona Swindler tells Urbanize Atlanta a rescheduled date hasn’t been set as of today, but “we’ll share more information as soon as it’s available.” Sounds promising, if a bit noncommittal.
“It was hard to come that decision [to cancel the parade],” Swindler noted via email. “It is the highlight of our year!”
The Lantern Parade's Westside Trail debut in 2022. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta
Described as a “beloved Atlanta celebration of creativity, community, and light" with giant glowing puppets and marching bands, the grassroots parade had humble beginnings in 2010, when a few hundred creative souls marched with LED lanterns down the shoddy dirt railroad corridor that’s become the Eastside Trail—with no spectators on the sidelines. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lantern Parade was drawing estimated crowds of 70,000 annually to the Eastside Trail, solidifying itself as a local tradition alongside the Dogwood Festival, Streets Alive, and Inman Park Festival, among others.
The pandemic paused the parade for two years, but in 2022 it reemerged on the flipside of town, illuminating a section of the Beltline’s Westside Trail beginning in Adair Park—and concluding with a huge party in the Lee + White district’s parking lots. Beltline officials declared the Westside Trail the parade’s permanent home last year.
Which means it’s time to take a community vote, via the reader poll below, just in case the powers-that-be are listening. If you’re in favor of a rescheduled parade, please do share dates that seem to make sense as well.
...
Follow us on social media:
Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram
• West End news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)
