Sandy Springs Festival: Here's What You Need To Know

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Residents are gearing up for the return of the annual Sandy Springs Festival, which will bring two days of family-friendly fun to Heritage Green and the adjacent areas of City Springs. The festival, which benefits Heritage Sandy Springs, will be held Sept. 22-23 and will be presented free of charge to the community.

Festival hours are 9 a.m to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23. A post-festival concert is also planned for 7 p.m. Saturday.

While this will, no doubt, be an exciting weekend for Sandy Springs. However, motorists who rely on the city's street network should be aware that road closures are necessary to ensure the festival goes as planned. Road closures planned include:

• Mt. Vernon Highway:
  • From Sandy Springs Circle east to Galambos Way beginning Friday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m.
  • Mt. Vernon Highway will reopen after the City Springs concert on Sunday, Sept. 23 (by 11:30 p.m.)
• Hilderbrand Drive:
  • From SS Circle east to the Blue Stone Lofts parking lot beginning Friday, Sept. 21 at 10 a.m.
  • Access to businesses on Hilderbrand will be permitted from Sandy Springs Circle until 6 p.m.
  • Hilderbrand will reopen by 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23.
• Blue Stone Road:
  • From the Blue Stone Lofts parking lot north to City Springs beginning Friday, Sept. 21 at 10 a.m.
  • Only local residents and business employees will be permitted on Blue Stone Road.
  • Blue Stone will reopen by 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23.
• South Lot at NE corner of Blue Stone Road:
  • All tiers beginning Friday, Sept. 21 at 10 a.m.
  • The south tiered lot will reopen by 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23.
• Mt. Vernon Hwy between Lake Forest Drive and Sandy Springs Circle from Saturday, Sept. 22 at 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. or once all runners have passed.
• Sandy Springs Place and Sandy Springs Circle will remain open all weekend.

Free parking with shuttle service provided by Cooper Global, the city of Sandy Springs, and Community Assistance Center is available at the following locations (look for color coded banners).

Only the RED LOT shuttle will operate during the Saturday evening concert. The Yellow/Blue shuttles will stop running at 7 p.m. (The Yellow Lot shuttle will pick up and drop off on the back lower level of the parking deck on the Boylston Road side).

Paid parking is available at the Centre Court shopping center and at the Sandy Springs United Methodist Church Activities Center. Parking at City Walk (Kroger) is strictly prohibited and towing is enforced.

The underground deck at City Springs is reserved for guests of the Performing Arts Center only. The closest MARTA stop is the Dunwoody Station which is 1.6 miles away. Passengers can take the #5 Sandy Springs or the #76 Roswell Road bus. Both drop passengers at Hilderbrand Drive and Roswell Road, one block east of the Festival entrance.

There are also many exciting changes, including an expanded footprint into the beautiful City Springs property, even more live entertainment and a brand new Cultural Corner. See the Sandy Springs Festival entertainment lineup here. You can also find an interactive online map of the festival by clicking here.

Here's a rundown of 2018 Sandy Springs Festival activities:

• Artist Market: The Artist Market features work and exhibits from 50+ talented artists in in a variety of media including painting, clay, jewelry, photography, printmaking, wood, and mixed media.
• Entertainment: The Main Stage will feature a variety of professional bands on Saturday (there's even a free post-festival concert that night!) and Sunday's Battle of the Bands will give local amateur acts a chance to showcase their skills and maybe even win some prize money.
• Cultural Corner: The Cultural Corner will celebrate our city's diversity by highlighting a variety of ethnic art, cuisine, business, and performers representing a wide variety of different cultures. The City Springs stage will be full of exciting song, dance, and demonstrations on Saturday!
• Sandy Springs Lightning: The USATF-certified, Peachtree-qualifying race serves as the official kick-off to the Sandy Springs Festival on Saturday, Sept. 22. The fast-paced 10K and 5K races are held on a beautiful, tree-lined residential course along Mt. Vernon Highway.
• Pet Parade: Pets of all shapes and sizes will parade through the Festival on Saturday morning, sporting creative and crazy costumes. The entry fee is $10 and prizes awarded in a variety of categories. Day-of registration is available between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.
• ArtSS Chalk Walk: Watch the chalk fly as Art Sandy Springs presents the annual ArtSS Chalk Walk. Debuting in 2012, the Chalk Walk is an art competition for individual or team artists. Artists may register in advance online or in person the day of. There is a $10 per square registration fee which includes complimentary chalk.
• Children's Park: Children will delight in their designated areas with special activities chosen especially for them, including inflatables, classic rides, hands-on crafts, face painting, a petting zoo, and pony rides. The Children's Park will also feature ongoing performances from Ladybug Events and gymnastics fun from Jump Start Gym. Some activities are ticketed.
• Heritage Sandy Springs Museum: Visit the newly-renovated Heritage Sandy Springs Museum to explore different exhibits and see demonstrations by heritage crafters and square dancers. You can even pick up a complimentary print version of the Sandy Springs Gazette.
• Business and Civic Expo: The Sandy Springs community is thriving and bustling. Browse through booths from local businesses and civic organizations that showcase their services. Be sure to thank the festival sponsors too!
• Food Court: The Food Court includes a variety of options from local vendors and food trucks, from salty to sweet. Choose from a variety of offerings by local restaurants and traditional festival fare from regional vendors. Beer, wine, soda, and water will also be available for purchase.
• Tailgate Zone/VIP: Featuring a climate-controlled lounge with flat screen TV's – plus in-house taps, a rooftop lounge, tasty treats, and lawn games – the Tailgate Zone is the place to be! How about a VIP upgrade, with complimentary refreshments and a great view of the entertainment stage?
• City of Sandy Springs Zone: The City Zone introduces Festival attendees to our Police, Fire, Hospitality and Tourism, and Recreation departments. Kids will delight in exploring emergency service vehicles, and a friendly rivalry ensues between Police and Fire as to who has the best giveaways!

No smoking, soliciting, or personal mobility devices unless required for medical purposes. Leashed pets allowed and encouraged. No smoking, soliciting, or personal mobility devices unless required for medical purposes. Leashed pets allowed and encouraged.

For more information on the Festival, including how to buy VIP passes or reserve tables for the Saturday evening concert, visit www.sandyspringsfestival.com. You can also keep track of the event by visiting its Facebook page.

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Image via Heritage Sandy Springs