After canceling Atlanta’s iconic Peach Drop last New Year’s Eve, the city is making plans to bring back the free celebration to ring in 2025.
Legislation moving through Atlanta City Council would allocate $650,000 for the festival that, in the past, has featured major artists like Atlanta rapper Ludacris, legendary R&B singer Little Richard, Ne-Yo, Janelle Monae, Miranda Lambert and more.
The mayor’s office confirmed to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution on Tuesday that the event will move forward if the financial allocation passes the City Council.
The Dickens administration announced last year that the on-again off-again event was not happening due to the financial resources that were dedicated to events celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
This year’s Peach Drop would be held at the Underground Atlanta, it’s usual venue, according to the legislation.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
The Peach Drop was also canceled in 2019 after complications with the Underground Atlanta location and then again in 2020 because of the pandemic. The 2021 Peach Drop was also nixed at the last second due a spike in the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
But the beloved concert came back in 2023, featuring a star-studded Atlanta lineup with Da Brat, YoungBloodZ, Jagged Edge and Jermaine Dupri at Underground Atlanta.
According to the city, the event usually attracts upward of 50,000 attendees.
The Peach Drop debuted in 1989 at Underground Atlanta and became a popular gathering spot on New Year’s Eve for partygoers, Atlanta’s take on the iconic Times Square ball drop in New York City.
— Staff writer Rodney Ho contributed to this report.
