For three lunchtimes at the start of September, downtown's Broad Street Boardwalk became a place to stick around instead of a place to pass through. Downtown Atlanta Inc. hosted its Back to School Celebration there from Tuesday, September 1 through Thursday, September 3, running from noon to 1:30 p.m. each day with a fresh lineup every afternoon.
Day one opened with a photo booth that printed photo strips to take home, cotton candy, and special guest host Canzera SZN, a local drag queen. Day two brought a variety show hosted and produced by Anesia Sandifer, with dance from Liberti Dai'lon and the LUX Dance Crew, performances by Shanell Brooks and Nichole Rogers, poetry from Joshua Jones and an open mic. The week wrapped up on day three with a community market where people could shop from local vendors, and anyone who bought something from a market vendor could pick up a free Mocha Pops popsicle.
Photos from the week, taken by Jeffrey Mustache, show a dance crew in denim and plaid moving across the boardwalk's wooden deck, lunch crowds watching from bright yellow cafe chairs, and friends posing with Downtown ATL stickers between sets.
Small moments, real reasons to stay
Each afternoon looked a little different, but Downtown Atlanta Inc. says they all aimed at the same thing: giving people one more reason to spend time downtown.
The organization calls that idea placemaking. In plain terms, it means turning the spaces people walk past every day into spaces they actually want to be in. And as the group points out, it does not always take a big construction project or a brand-new park to get there.
On Broad Street it looked like someone on the way to grab lunch pausing to catch a performance. It looked like a downtown worker discovering a local vendor, or a few coworkers leaving their desks to soak up some sunshine together. Downtown Atlanta Inc. argues that those small moments are what make a neighborhood feel alive, and what help people feel like they belong here.
Sometimes, the group says, placemaking means a transformative new public space. Other times it means music, a market and a reason to spend your lunch break on Broad Street.
What comes next
Downtown Atlanta Inc. thanked everyone who came out and helped bring the boardwalk to life, and signed off its recap with a simple "Class dismissed."
If you missed this one, keep an eye on the Downtown Atlanta Inc. events calendar for the next round of programming on Broad Street.
Reported by Downtown Atlanta Inc.