Atlanta July 4 Fireworks Show Is SE's Largest

ATLANTA -- One of the nation's signature July 4 events will be held for the 50th time this year, with the Southeast's largest fireworks celebration to follow that evening. The 50th running of the AJC Peachtree Road Race begins in Buckhead and ends in Midtown. And while several metro Atlanta towns and communities are hosting their own fireworks celebrations, the biggest one will be in downtown's Centennial Olympic Park.

Held annually on July 4 in Atlanta, Georgia, the AJC Peachtree Road Race is the largest running event in the United States and the world's largest 10K. One of the most celebrated aspects of the AJC Peachtree Road Race is the finisher’s T-shirt. Since its inception at the second running of the race in 1971, the T-shirt has been highly coveted by those who complete the race. This year, the Atlanta Track Club invited some well-known Atlantans and Atlanta institutions with ties to the race to create a design. The club and the AJC will make a $5,000 donation to the non-profit of the winning designer/curator's choice.

For years, both downtown's Centennial Olympic Park park and Buckhead's Lenox Square hosted their own fireworks celebrations, but in 2017, the park and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority began partnering with Lenox Square management to combine their shows; today, the authority manages the July 4 event. Gates to the park open at 7 p.m. and the event is free. Attendees are highly encouraged to take MARTA, whose closest stops to the park are Five Points, Peachtree Center and CNN Center/State Farm Arena/Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Attendees may park at either the park's red or green deck.

The festivities begin July 2 and 3 with the Peachtree Health & Fitness Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Here are some other July 4 events around metro Atlanta:

What: Dunwoody 4th of July Parade
Where: Dunwoody Village, Mount Vernon to Jett Ferry Road
When: 9 am

What: July 4 parade and fireworks
Where: Lake Avondale
When: Parade begins at 10 am at Clarendon Avenue and S. Avondale Road. Fireworks begin at dusk.

What: July 4 parade, concert and fireworks
Where: Downtown Decatur
When: Parade begins at the First Baptist Church of Decatur at 5:30 pm. The Callanwolde Concert Band performs after the parade. Fireworks display at dark.

Fourth in the Park Parade, Marietta

What: Fantastic Fourth Celebration
Where: Memorial Lawn at Stone Mountain Park.
When: Fireworks display following the Lasershow Spectacular. July 1-7. 9:30 p.m.

What: Chamblee Fourth of July Celebration
Where: Keswick Park
When: 5-10 pm, July 4. Free.

Know of other events in the area? Post them on the Patch calendar or share details on our free Neighbor Post feature.