4th to Sparkle With Peachtree Race, Lenox Fireworks

Buckhead's July 4 celebration again will draw the metro area's largest crowds, put on the best entertainment and finish with the biggest fireworks display.

Lenox Square Mall, following one of Atlanta's favorite traditions, will be the centerpiece of activities from early morning until late night. Here is a Buckhead Community Improvement District report on its improvements for this year's events.

The day begins with the 10K Peachtree Road Race, which starts at Lenox Square and heads down Peachtree to Midtown, before turning to the finish at Piedmont Park. This year's race will have an additional 5,000 participants, putting the total at 60,000. Here is the to a previous Buckhead Patch article on the race.

The wheelchair race begins at 6:45 a.m., followed by the foot race at 7:30 a.m. After the elite field blazes away, regular runners will have staggered starts. For more information on the race, including a viewer's guide, see the Atlanta Track Club's Peachtree Road Race web site. 

After the race subsides, Lenox will host its 52nd annual Legendary Fourth of July Celebration. Activities begin at 2 p.m. with this year's first Taste of the Fourth event, in which top local restuarants will serve samples of menu favorities. Musical entertainment begins at 6 pm., followed by the Southeast's largest fireworks display at around 9:40 p.m. Here is the  to a previous Buckhead Patch article on the Lenox events. 

Channel 2 will also have its Salute 2 America celebration, featuring musical star and actress . WSB's special broadcast begins at 10 p.m.

Runners and Lenox Square partipants are urged to take MARTA. Here is the to a previous article.

For those wishing a smaller neighborhood event, the Chastain Park Civic Association will be having its annual celebration at Chastain Park's pool. Here is an on the event. 

In another neighborhood event, the annual parade around the Duck Pond in Peachtree Heights East begins at 9:45 a.m. Monday, according to the Facebook page of the Friends of the Duck Pond.

Neighbors can deck out wagons, bicycles and tricycles with the red, white and blue. Prizes will be given for the most festive person and pet. Refreshments will be provided by the Ladies of the Lake. Participants can meet at the traffic island at the corner of Demorest and Lakeview.

In regard to the Lenox Square fireworks, the Atlanta Police Department has issued a traffic advisory for the event.

For the most convenient commute, participants are encouraged to take MARTA to the Lenox Station for easy access to Lenox Square, according to the annoucement. The Buckhead Station is also just a short walk to Lenox Square's front entrance. At evening's end, MARTA riders headed to North Springs should take the Marta Buckhead Station. All pedestrian traffic will be allowed to leave Lenox Square festivities before any vehicular traffic can leave the parking areas, the announcement said.

From approximately 8:30 p.m. until the streets are cleared of pedestrian traffic, approximately 45 minutes after the fireworks display ends, Lenox Road, between Peachtree and East Paces Ferry roads, as well as Peachtree, from Wieuca to Piedmont roads, will be restricted. This will allow the public to watch the fireworks from Lenox Road. 

All mall entrances will have controlled access beginning at 3 p.m. and will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at 6 p.m. with the property's main entrance drive closing at 4 p.m. Several intersections will be barricaded beginning at 6 p.m. to prevent the flow of traffic back to the restricted areas at Lenox Square. Intersections included in this portion of the plan are:

•    Peachtree and Oak Valley
•    East Paces Ferry and Oak Valley
•    Peachtree and Stafford
•    Peachtree and Park Circle
•    Peachtree and Tower Place 
•    Kingsboro to Peachtree Road
•    Wright Avenue
•    East Paces Ferry to Roxboro

Following the conclusion of the event, APD officers at intersections will direct traffic away from the event area, controlling exits from Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. Additionally, mall parking decks will be closed until pedestrian traffic clears the area.

After the event, pedestrian traffic near the MARTA Station at East Paces Ferry and Lenox roads will be extremely congested, requiring that East Paces Ferry remain closed until most riders have entered the MARTA Station — after which, vehicular traffic will be directed out of the area.

Once again, it is highly recommended that visitors take one of the two conveniently located MARTA stations to attend the festivities at Lenox Square. Paid parking will be in place at Lenox Square for $10 starting at 5:30 p.m. Attendees can also park in Premier Parking for $15, which offers priority departure assisted by the Atlanta Police Department. A portion of the parking fees will benefit the Simon Youth Foundation.