At 5 p.m. tonight, vendor tents go up in the River Springs Shopping Center lot at 8610 Roswell Road. This is the last of three Thursday-evening dates for the city's new Night Market. It sits about as far up the Roswell Road corridor as the city's market program has gone.
After tonight, the season moves south and stays there. Of the dated November and December events posted on the city and City Springs calendars, almost all fall within a few blocks of City Green: the rink, the parade, the tree and Menorah lighting, the Nutcracker, and the New Year's Eve concert. With everything concentrated in one place, the two changes the city made for 2026 both have to do with timing. Skating now costs less Monday through Thursday, and the farmers market added an after-work Thursday slot far from downtown.
Tonight's market is the north-end experiment
The city announced the Sandy Springs Night Market on August 17. It was scheduled for the first Thursday of September, October and November, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Sandy Springs Record reported that the evening hours are meant for shoppers leaving work, a time the Saturday morning market at City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, doesn't cover. The Record also called the River Springs location a move north along the Roswell Road corridor.
Before launch, the plan called for more than 30 local farmers, food producers, artisans and specialty vendors. The city's Night Market page calls the series a pilot it is testing and limits it to vendors already approved for the 2026 farmers market. If you want to see what this format looks like on Roswell Road, tonight is the last chance this year.
The Saturday market stays on its usual schedule. The City Springs calendar lists Sandy Springs Farmers Market dates on City Green for November 7, 14 and 21.
Everything after tonight is on one block
Here is the season in order, using the City Springs events calendar and the city's own event pages:
- Wednesday, Nov. 11. Veterans Day Tribute at Byers Theatre. The program is free and open to everyone.
- Friday, Nov. 13. Skate City Springs opens on City Green and runs through Jan. 18.
- Saturday, Nov. 21. A Magical Cirque Christmas at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.
- Nov. 27 to Dec. 6. Roswell Dance Theatre presents The Nutcracker at the Performing Arts Center.
- Wednesday, Dec. 2. Snow Day Movie Matinee at the Heritage Building, 6110 Blue Stone Road.
- Sunday, Dec. 6. Sparkle Sandy Springs, with the nighttime parade and the Christmas tree and Menorah lighting.
- Sunday, Dec. 13. Joe Alterman's Toast & Jam Holiday Jazz Brunch at the Performing Arts Center.
- Thursday, Dec. 31. New Year's Eve with the Atlanta Symphony, followed by the 21-and-over Ring in the New Year party in Studio Theatre.
Two dates overlap in ways that affect planning. The Nutcracker's run ends on Sparkle day, and Sparkle takes over the same streets the theater audience uses to get there. The rink also opens on a Friday, and the next morning the Saturday farmers market sets up on that same lawn.
The rink now costs less on a Tuesday
Skate City Springs used one price all week last season. This season it has tiered pricing, which the city's skate page lists as new.
| Ticket | Last season | This season, Mon–Thu | This season, Fri–Sun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $18 | $15 | $18 |
| Child, ages 2–9 | $15 | $12 | $15 |
Weekend prices haven't changed. Weeknights are $3 cheaper per ticket. For two adults and two children, an hour on the ice costs $54 on a Tuesday and $66 on a Saturday, and skate rental is included in both.
The schedule changed too. Last season, glow skating ran Thursdays and Fridays after dark, and themed Saturday parties ran from 9 to 11 p.m. This season's lineup:
- Glow Night every night at 6 p.m.
- Disco Slide Nights on Fridays starting at 6 p.m., with a DJ calling couples' skates, fast laps and possibly a limbo.
- Themed Saturdays from 8 to 10 p.m., an hour earlier than last year, with nights such as K-Pop Vibe, Fright Night, Pajama Party and Intergalactic Skate Party. Skaters who dress for the theme get a free hot cocoa.
Sessions are timed at one hour. The city asks skaters to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to pick up skates. Free Skate Helpers are on the ice for anyone still finding their balance. Capacity is limited, so the city recommends booking online. Walk-ups are welcome, but the city suggests calling (404) 890-6690 first to check availability. Tickets go through FareHarbor. In late October the page still said ticket sales would open soon.
Group packages are also new this year. The Classic Pizza Package and the All-American Grill package, which includes unlimited hot cocoa, combine food, a gathering space and skating for birthdays and group outings. Corporate outings are booked through [email protected]. The Sandy Springs Foundation is the presenting sponsor.
Sparkle closes the district for six hours
Sparkle Sandy Springs is on Sunday, December 6. It brings back Sparkle Village, a display of miniature holiday houses built by local schools, nonprofits, businesses and community groups, with new houses every year. The city's Sparkle page also lists inflatables, carolers, a food and gift market, and skating before the parade. As of late October, the 2026 schedule was still listed as coming soon.
The closures are already posted. On the road closures page, closures start at 3 p.m. that Sunday on:
- Blue Stone Road, from Galambos Way to Hilderbrand Drive
- Galambos Way, from the parking deck's east entrance to its west entrance, with the whole street closed during the parade
- Mount Vernon Highway, from Hammond Drive to Galambos Way
- Lake Forest Drive, from Mount Vernon Highway to Hammond Drive
- Sandy Springs Circle, from Galambos Way to Hilderbrand Drive
All roads reopen by 9 p.m. The City Springs Parking Garage's east entrance closes from 5:45 to 7 p.m. and its west entrance from 6:15 to 7 p.m., and the city says those times may vary slightly. Street parking along the route, Galambos Way and Blue Stone Road starts closing on Thursday, December 3. Aston residents are directed to the Purple Section of the underground deck.
Last year's details give a likely outline, but the city hasn't confirmed them for 2026. In 2025, festivities started at 4 p.m. and the parade stepped off at 6 p.m. The posted parade route, still marked 2025, starts at Mount Vernon Highway and Lake Forest Drive, passes through Sparkle Wonderland onto Galambos Way, and ends at Sandy Springs Circle. The city's FAQ recommends a free shuttle between Lake Forest Elementary and the event and lists ADA parking in the South Lot and the City Springs deck. The city's shuttle page still shows last year's service, which ran Sunday, December 7, 2025, from 3:45 to 8:15 p.m. Check the Sparkle page again the week before for the 2026 times.
The quieter December dates sit on the same streets
The Snow Day Movie Matinee four days before Sparkle is at the Heritage Building on Blue Stone Road, the same street that closes on Dec. 6. The city describes it as an inclusive pajama-party screening of Frozen for people with disabilities and their families. It runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and includes character appearances, hot chocolate, snacks and goody bags. Admission is $6, and the city asks families to register each family member who will attend.
After Sparkle, the Performing Arts Center has two more holiday dates. On Dec. 13, pianist Joe Alterman's monthly jazz brunch, which pairs live music with unscripted interviews of his guests, does a holiday edition. On Dec. 31, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra plays a full-orchestra program of classical favorites with soprano Jouelle Roberson. The concert leads into the Ring in the New Year party in Studio Theatre, with DJ Newk, light bites and a sparkling toast at midnight. The rink stays open into January, after everything else on this list has ended.
The green will get bigger, years from now
On October 20, the Sandy Springs City Council voted to advance the next phase of City Springs. It selected Trammell Crow Company, through its subsidiary High Street Residential, as master developer for about 5.5 acres downtown. The city's announcement lists more local restaurants and retailers, a boutique hotel, more green space and public gathering areas, and single-family and multifamily housing among the site's priorities. High Street Residential is also building Hillcrest, an 8.1-acre mixed-use project at Mount Vernon Highway and Sandy Springs Circle, across the street from the new phase. In that announcement, Mayor Rusty Paul said City Springs "has fundamentally transformed the way our community comes together."
Rezoning and sale negotiations come next. Rough Draft Atlanta reported that site work could begin in fall 2027 and the project could be finished around 2029 or 2030. That means at least two more holiday seasons on City Green as it is now, with the parade on Mount Vernon Highway and the rink next to the Performing Arts Center.
If you're weighing a home near the City Springs district, including what phase two and Hillcrest across the street could mean for it over the next several years, Tina Sui and the TJS Team can go through the timeline and the numbers with you in English or Mandarin, with WeChat available. Request a personalized market & investment consult.
