Midtown Bright Holiday Lighting Program Nearly Doubles in Size
Thousands of LED lights transform Peachtree Street into technicolor wonderland
Published: 12/05/19
The sun is setting earlier these days, but all is bright in Midtown Atlanta.
The Midtown Bright program, an annual holiday lights celebration powered by Midtown Alliance, kicked off this week with displays illuminating portions of Peachtree Street for nearly a mile.
Midtown Bright is one of the largest publicly accessible lighting displays of its kind in the Southeast, and Midtown Alliance received board approval to nearly double the size of the program after such a successful 2018.
“Lining Peachtree Street, Midtown Bright is a powerful placemaking program that serves everyone: visitors, residents and employees,” said Lauren Bohn, project manager of urban design and placemaking at Midtown Alliance. “All will enjoy the festive and uplifting atmosphere, and the hundreds of thousands of LED lights have a distinct public safety benefit.”
Peachtree Street’s All Aglow
Now in its eighth year, the Midtown Bright program includes 90 trees wrapped in single-tone LED strands in 10 different colors. These kaleidoscopic hues were introduced last year to mimic the bright color scheme of the Midtown neighborhood’s brand identity.
Midtown Bright also features 22 three-dimensional Moravian stars that range in height from three to 23 feet. New this year is a star on top of the historic Fox Theatre, a popular destination that attracts 50,000 people a year to holiday performances of “The Nutcracker.”
Where to View the Lights
From the Fox to the High Museum and beyond, the light displays are intended to knit together Midtown’s arts and cultural venues to enhance the experience of exploring the district on foot during the holidays. Take a stroll on Peachtree Street and you’re never far from one of the five intersections and plazas with decorated trees and stars:
- Pershing Point Plaza
- Peachtree and 15th Streets
- Peachtree and 10th Streets, including in front of the Margaret Mitchell House and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
- Peachtree at 7th (Spire)
- Ponce Triangle Park and the Fox Theatre Historic District
The lights are on from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. The stars will be removed in mid-January, and the trees will remain decorated through Valentine’s Day.
Spread Some Holiday Cheer
Midtown Bright is a great reason to get out and explore the district on foot.
Southern Pedaler, a local business that offers party bike rides around the district, found a unique way to leverage the program by offering Midtown Bright Lights Tours nightly through December for $25 a person. The pedaler will stop at multiple points along the route for photo opportunities, so make sure you’ve brushed up on your low-light photography skills to snap some festive photos.
If you’re out exploring on a chilly day, stop by retailer Eco Denizen, which is selling wintry Midtown-themed apparel.
However you decide to enjoy Midtown Bright, make sure you share your selfies on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #MidtownBright for your chance to win Midtown-branded merchandise!
