Should all go as planned, 2026 will be the busiest and largest year in Atlanta Streets Alive history. And it all starts Sunday. 

Open-streets events will kick of earlier than usual this year with a new route—from “Beltline to Broad”—that will stretch about two miles Sunday from Broad Street in South Downtown and travel M.L.K Jr. Drive to the Westside Trail in Vine City. 

It’ll be part of a record eight planned Streets Alive events this year that include old-favorite routes and other plans tied to 2026 FIFA World Cup hoopla, as coordinated by the Atlanta Department of Transportation and safe streets advocates Propel ATL

Sunday’s free event will convert the streets to car-free zones for pedestrians and people on bikes, e-scooters, skateboards, and other non-motorized transportation (dogs on leashes are also welcome.) The event lasts from 2 to 6 p.m., but the route will be closed to cars from noon to 7 p.m.

“From spontaneous dance circles to leisurely stroller walks, from biking with friends to grabbing coffee at a local café, the event reminds us that the best way to experience Atlanta is at street level, together,” reads a Sunday preview. 

Landmarks along the new route will include Centennial Yards, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta University Center campuses, and Vine City’s commercial district, among other attractions.  

Overview of the two-mile MLK Jr. Drive route planned for March 22 from South Downtown to the Beltline's Westside Trail. (Note: The route will now stop at Broad Street instead of Peachtree Street as shown above.) Atlanta Streets Alive

That same route is scheduled to return as a World Cup-related party on June 14, a day before the soccer tournament begins with Spain versus Cape Verde. 

Ditto for a longer Peachtree Street route between downtown and 15th Street in Midtown on June 28. 

Meanwhile, the sweeping, 3.4-mile route from West End to Grant Park is slated to return twice this year (May 31 and October 18). 

To close out the year on Nov. 8, Streets Alive is scheduled to return to Howell Mill Road as a partnership with Westside Stride, which has organized a similar open-streets event for three consecutive years.

Here’s an overview of the 2026 outlook for Streets Alive, though dates tied to World Cup events are subject to change: 

Sunday, March 22: – MLK Beltline to Vine City (new route)
Sunday, April 19: – Peachtree Street (15th Street to Alabama Street)
Sunday, May 31: – West End to Grant Park (Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard to Georgia Avenue)
Sunday, June 14: – MLK Beltline to Vine City (new route) (World Cup-related)
Sunday, June 28: – Peachtree Street (15th Street to Alabama Street) (World Cup-related)
Sunday, September 27: – Peachtree Street (15th Street to Alabama Street)
Sunday, October 18: – West End to Grant Park (Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard to Georgia Avenue)
Sunday, November 8: – Howell Mill Road (Westside Stride Partnership)

Atlanta Bicycle Coalition (now Propel ATL) originated Streets Alive more than 15 years ago, inspired by ciclovía events in Bogotá, Colombia and other cities. 

Closer look at the March 22 route as it passes Atlanta University Center, Vine City's commercial district, and other landmarks. Atlanta Streets Alive

After a four-year pandemic hiatus, Streets Alive bounced back in September 2023, opening Peachtree from south of Underground Atlanta up to 15th Street in Midtown. 

In 2024, six different Streets Alive events marked the current record for a single year, with the previous high mark being four in 2016.

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