Fireworks explode in the background as the peach hits the bottom of the tower at Underground Atlanta to signal the beginning of 2000. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms confirmed Wednesday that the Peach Drop, the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration, will return to Underground Atlanta after moving to Woodruff Park last year.
Associated Press file
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced Wednesday that the city’s beloved New Year’s Eve Peach Drop Festival will return to commemorate the end of 2024.
The highly anticipated holiday countdown has been a staple in Atlanta since 1989. However, in recent years, the once-annual event has become sporadic. In 2020 and 2021, festivities were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and last year’s countdown was eliminated due to the city’s government’s funding priorities.
“It is my pleasure to bring this beloved tradition back to heart of Downtown Atlanta during its truly historic and transformative renaissance,” said Dickens in a recent press release. “This event is a fun and exciting way for residents and visitors alike ring in 2025 like only we can in the ATL.”
This year’s countdown will be held at Underground Atlanta. Grammy Award-winning rapper Big Boi will headline, followed by performances by rock band Neon Trees, R&B singer RES, and several local artists.
Rapper Big Boi performs after a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Saturday, July 30, 2022. The Reds won 8-2. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
The stage will open at 6 p.m., with entertainment leading up to the historic peach dropping at midnight to bring in the new year.
A longtime Atlanta resident, Big Boi began his career in the city as a member of the chart-topping hip-hop duo OutKast alongside Andre 3000. Outside of his music career, the Southern icon recently starred in Hulu’s “Big RV Remix,” a renovation-based series where he and his business partner, Janice Faison, renovate, redo, and remodel trailers for clients ranging from small businesses and world-famous celebrities.
Two-time Emmy Award winner and Atlanta radio personality Ryan Cameron will serve as host and emcee.
The Atlanta City Council announced in September that they would allocate $650,000 for the festival, according to a report from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Live Nation Entertainment, known for their work on the Atlanta-based ONE Musicfest, will produce the event. Previous Peach Drop musical acts include Atlanta artists TLC, Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri and Da Brat.
In addition to live music, the free admission event, which starts at 4 p.m., will include arts, food and fireworks available to guests.
