Atlanta won’t be ringing in 2024 with the Peach Drop.
The city is again calling off the once-annual New Year’s Eve celebration at Underground Atlanta.
The Peach Drop debuted in 1989. It was first called off in 2018 because the city said they couldn’t secure Underground Atlanta as a location. The COVID-19 pandemic led to its cancellation in 2020 and 2021, but it returned last year.
“This year, the City dedicated our resources to celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and other local activities directly serving the community,” a spokesperson from Mayor Andre Dickens’ office said in a statement. “While a worthy tradition in the past, the Peach Drop has not been an annual event since 2017. Each year is different, and we can always reevaluate next year.”
On Friday afternoon, The Mayor’s Office sent Atlanta News First other activities hosted by the City this year.
Just a few examples of activities hosted by the City this year:The City and numerous partners joined forces this year for ATL 50 Hip Hop—a series of events from academia talks, movie series, a time capsule, a blockbuster concert and much more.The City held its 46th annual Jazz Festival.For Fiscal Year 2023, Mayor Andre Dickens increased the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs budget by $500,000. As a result, the City of can fully fund eligible organizations and artists at their full request. This year’s arts funding totaled more than $2,000,000, allocated to 19 Individual Artists, 81 Arts and Community Organizations and 2 Neighborhood Organizations in Atlanta.The City of Atlanta awarded more than 125 grants to creative entrepreneurs through the Creative Industries Grant Fund, a joint program of the Mayor’s Office of Film and Entertainment and Invest Atlanta to assist the city’s independent content creators and creative entrepreneurs. The program offered $5,000 to $20,000 for local creative entrepreneurs to ensure Atlanta’s creative industries thrive here for years and decades to come.The Administration hosted its first Youth Pride Festival + Summit—creating a safe space for LGBTQ youth up to the age of 25 to enjoy family-friendly resources, programming and activities.
~ Atlanta Mayor's Office
Miles Larry, who works at Legends Barber and Accessory Shop at Underground Atlanta was surprised to hear the news.
“I’m very disappointed because I was looking forward to attending being that I work right by the drop, yeah quite disappointed,” Larry said. “I just found out myself they’re not having it, so I think I’m going to be making a phone ring, email somebody, call somebody, he said. “We were informed late,” Larry said.
Larry said he’s hopeful the Peach Drop will be back next year.
“We want it back like that. We want to be backstage again. Yeah, we want it back,” Larry said.
Employees at Dancin’ Crepe said the cancellation of the Peach Drop could be a plus for businesses.
“I think for the businesses, I think it will be really good since last year, we did have to close like the day before around 6:30 and then we could not open on--I want to say New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day,” said NiAsia Adams, Manager at Dancin’ Crepe. “So, for the businesses I think it will be great. We’ll actually be able to make money and stuff this year go round, so I think it will be helpful for the business,” she said.
“We lost a lot of money last year. The whole street had to pretty much close because of the Peach Drop,” Adams said.
Return to Atlanta News First for updates on this developing story.
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