The city of Chamblee kicked off a summer concert series with a Michael Jackson cover band. Photo provided by the city of Chamblee.
This article, courtesy of Rough Draft Atlanta, is reposted with their permission.
Entertainment districts are transforming city streets into vibrant hubs of social activity, blending live music, local art, and dynamic dining experiences.
Entertainment districts are profitable for businesses, boost socialization, and encourage walkability local municipalities claim. From Marietta to Decatur, open container districts offer live music, sports on a big screen, themed parties, and a place to run into friends.
Entertainment districts have been growing in popularity. In Alpharetta, a 2011 city ordinance established an open-container area that has been expanded to the mixed-use development Avalon while the city of Brookhaven launched the Dresden District just last month.
The city of Chamblee has committed to making its downtown a walkable, art- and food-driven district accessible by pedestrians, ride shares, and public transportation.
A map of Chamblee’s entertainment district. Provided by Chamblee Downtown Development Authority.
Chamblee Mayor Brian Mock said the city is “tirelessly” working to build out a rail trail that calls for 85% of residents to be connected to the trail within five minutes of leaving their front or back door.
“We’re trying to promote walkability, socialization, and get feet on the street out walking and enjoying life,” Mock said. During COVID lockdowns, the city saw park usage spike, which solidified how important outdoor space was for residents, according to the mayor.
Chamblee has a designated rideshare pick up with shade, a mural, and seating. Photo provided by the city of Chamblee.
As a resident of downtown, Mock has a reason to be invested. The 36-year hospitality professional walks through the city daily, talking to visitors and locals.
On his walkabouts, Mock noticed license plates from Fulton or Gwinnett. “What we found was that people would come downtown, go to dinner, and then they would get back in their car and go back to wherever they came from,” Mock said.
The city wanted to capture the visitors, to keep them in Chamblee a little longer while showing off the locally-owned, chef-driven restaurant scene, along with murals, scupltures, and city-sponsored events. “It’s a little bit of a social project,” Mock said of the city’s new entertainment district.
Chamblee branded a clear plastic cup for its entertainment district. Photo provided by
the city of Chamblee.
In July 2023, Chamblee established a downtown district in which patrons can purchase alcohol in city-branded cups to drink while they meander through shops and restaurants. Like other entertainment districts in Dunwoody, Tucker, and Marietta, Chamblee imposes restrictions on the hours of consumption and licensure required to sell booze. Most cities also tax the area businesses and residents to cover additional sanitation workers and police officers.
“When you create a service district like this, you have to be able to pay for it,” Mock said.
Chamblee City Council members approved the 2024 Downtown Special Services District Millage Rate of 1.75 mills on June 18, which stands to generate approximately $493,884 in revenue for the downtown district fund.
Tucker holds a July 3rd celebration every year on Main Street. Photo provided by city of Tucker.
Main Street in Tucker has the look and feel of a quintessential small town center, which attracts film crews seeking a quaint town square. It’s bordered by Tucker High School, Tucker First Baptist Church, greenspace, and the railroad tracks pictured in the city’s logo.
When Tucker was establishing its entertainment district, city staff said they looked to Roswell Town Square, a historic downtown that includes a cultural arts center, breweries, highly regarded restaurants, and a weekly street party.
“The goal of our entertainment district is to attract new development and revitalization of the downtown core, as well as enhance the vibrancy and street life for our existing downtown businesses,” said Courtney Smith, Tucker Community Development director. “We looked at the ordinances in Alpharetta and Roswell as a guide.”
Tucker has spent years focused on the design of downtown, from landscaping and lighting to accessibility and development. The city has broken downtown into zones for residential, mixed-use, and commercial development. They’re planning and building trails to connect residents to downtown, increasing connectivity to the entertainment district.
Tucker’s entertainment district is focused on Main Street. Photo provided by the city of Tucker.
City and community sponsored events on Main Street include Tucker Day, the First Friday concert series, and the July 3rd Celebration of Independence which draws hundreds of people to watch fireworks and listen to live music.
These events are the reason cities create an entertainment district.
Mayor John Park and Brookhaven City Council members raised a glass to the opening of the Dresden District on May 24, the start of Memorial Day weekend. They celebrated the newly-established entertainment district outside of Verde Taqueria as families filed into the restaurant.
“We like to get out, congregate, and share fellowship,” Park said, adding that the entertainment district encourages people to go to multiple restaurants in one visit.
Dresden District in Brookhaven opened on May 2024. Photo provided by the city of Brookhaven.
Dresden District, like Chamblee’s downtown, is MARTA accessible. It stretches Dresden Drive from Apple Valley Road to Camille Drive, encompassing fast-casual joints to upscale white tablecloth restaurants. Like Chamblee, it also allows visitors to carry alcohol between venues in specially-marked cups.
Brookhaven Councilmember Jennifer Owens said early feedback from businesses on Dresden Drive has been positive.
“We have had questions about how to further promote the district and drive a sense of identity. As a community, Brookhaven always supports activities to bring our community together. The Dresden District will continue to serve as a community center, especially with more restaurants and a new greenspace coming soon.”
She added, “We have some of the best restaurants in the region and this is a move to highlight them.”
Dunwoody Economic Development Director Michael Starling said the city has created multiple entertainment districts to support local businesses.
“I see these entertainment districts working to support people moving from restaurant to restaurant within a property, instead of going property to property,” said Starling. “The city is supporting these districts to become a true destination.”
Dunwoody Village, one of Dunwoody’s entertainment districts, is known for big screen football showings on Sundays, live concerts, Back to School parties, and a family-friendly July 4th party. David Abes, owner of DASH Hospitality Group, organizes these events with the 20 members of the Dunwoody Village Merchants Association.
In April, Abes organized the third annual Green Eggs and Kegs, attracting 2,000 people to a showcase of 20 local restaurant vendors and 30 distributors.
As a business owner, Abes said it’s most important that people have a place they can stay all day and into the evening. “They can listen to music and hang out. People end up seeing their neighbors and going from one table to another,” Abes said.
Most entertainment districts are restricted to a small, specific district in which alcoholic beverages labeled with the city’s logo may be served between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The food festival Green Eggs and Kegs in Dunwoody attracts 2,000 people. Photo provided by Discover Dunwoody.