At 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, the Sparkle parade steps off at Mount Vernon Highway and Lake Forest Drive. It heads east along Mount Vernon through Sparkle Wonderland, turns onto Galambos Way past City Hall, and finishes at Sandy Springs Circle. This year, one development under construction and another still being negotiated sit just south of that route.
South of Mount Vernon, on the land that used to be Sandy Springs United Methodist Church's Hitson Center, its grass field and a parking lot, the Hillcrest development is going up floor by floor. On Oct. 20, the City Council voted unanimously to begin negotiating the sale of 5.5 acres of city property right next to it for City Springs 2.0. If you stand on the curb with a cocoa this December, you're standing on the line where downtown Sandy Springs is about to cross the street.
Start at Lake Forest Drive, where the crowds are lightest
The parade begins at the west end of the route, where Sparkle Wonderland sits along Mount Vernon Highway by Sandy Springs United Methodist Church. Expect inflatables, carolers, characters, falling snow and treats. The city says this stretch usually draws the lightest crowds, so folding chairs are allowed here, with low-back chairs preferred. Portable restrooms are near the crosswalk across from the church. Wonderland closes when the parade steps off at 6 p.m.
The church is part of the story behind the construction down the hill. It sold the land south of Mount Vernon Highway to pay for improvements, and it's pursuing a conditional use permit for a new sanctuary on the north side of the road, with on-site parking and landscaping. So the first block of the parade runs between a congregation planning its next building and the field it gave up to make room for Hillcrest.
The Mount Vernon stretch passes a building under construction
Moving east, the parade runs along the frontage of Hillcrest's tallest piece. Rough Draft Atlanta reported on Oct. 27 that several townhomes, retail spaces, the parking deck and some apartments were already built by late October. The five-story building along Mount Vernon Highway was just starting to rise, with work above its concrete podium expected by year-end. The contractor, New South Construction, said a second crane would join the site in November. Hillcrest covers about 8 acres, with 362 apartments, 30 for-rent townhomes and 19,000 square feet of retail. It's set to open next summer. The site is steep, so the buildings step down from Mount Vernon Highway along Sandy Springs Circle.
The first two retail tenants, announced Oct. 27, are both businesses with a following a few miles south:
- Chastain Creamery opened at the start of the year at 164 W. Wieuca Road in Buckhead. It's an ice cream shop with options free of gluten, dairy, nuts or added sugar. What Now Atlanta reports more than 50 handcrafted flavors.
- Salted Melon is a Charlotte-based "everyday gourmet" concept that serves salads, bowls, sandwiches, smoothies, pastries and specialty coffee and tea. Hillcrest will be its second metro Atlanta location and its sixth overall, after its Buckhead debut in February.
Founder Thomas Coker told Rough Draft that the company chose Hillcrest for its "patio-heavy retail spaces" and the city's vision for a pedestrian-friendly downtown. Hank Farmer of Third & Urban, Hillcrest's developer, put it this way in the same report: "Residents will have options steps away from their front door, and visitors will have a reason to stay awhile."
The development's name already shows up on this year's event. The city's 2026 Sparkle page lists a Hillcrest Sparkle Village, a miniature holiday village of kid-sized houses decorated for the season, and tells visitors to check back for more details.
On the parade route itself, the city calls the Mount Vernon stretch the closest viewing area to the shuttle stop and handy to every attraction. Crowds there vary from year to year, and barricades may line both sides, so plan to stand. Portable restrooms are in the South Parking Lot, and full restrooms are in the brick building near City Green.
Galambos Way faces the next phase
The parade turns onto Galambos Way, passes Sandy Springs City Hall and ends at Sandy Springs Circle. This is the place to stand for the tree and menorah lighting, at about 6:50 p.m. It's also the most crowded section, with possible barricades on both sides.
From City Hall, look south across Mount Vernon Highway toward the site of City Springs 2.0. As Rough Draft Atlanta reported Oct. 21, the city chose High Street Residential, a Trammell Crow Company subsidiary, to lead the project. Third & Urban, DSM Real Estate Partners and Hedgewood Homes are assisting. Trammell Crow and Third & Urban are the same partners behind Hillcrest, which sits across the street from the City Springs 2.0 site and City Green. The current proposal includes an apartment building with ground-floor retail, a boutique hotel, and a 28-home single-family subdivision next to Heritage Green and the Williams-Payne House.
The plan is still a proposal. Rezoning and sale negotiations are set for this winter, and the developers would close on the land next summer if the rezonings are approved. The city's economic development director, Chris Burnett, said site work could start as early as fall 2027, with a ribbon-cutting possible in the third or fourth quarter of 2029 and the whole project finished by 2030. Mayor Rusty Paul said the public will have the next few months to weigh in.
Blue Stone Road closes at 3 p.m., and maybe for good
On Sparkle afternoon, Blue Stone Road closes at 3 p.m. from Galambos Way to Hilderbrand Drive. City officials are also considering closing a section of Bluestone Road between Mount Vernon Highway and Hilderbrand Drive permanently as part of City Springs 2.0. The two stretches overlap. For one evening this December, a road that may eventually disappear will be closed to cars, and you can see how the blocks around it work without it.
Here's the full list of closures for Sunday, Dec. 6, all starting at 3 p.m.:
- Mount Vernon Highway from Hammond Drive to Galambos Way
- Lake Forest Drive from Mount Vernon Highway to Hammond Drive
- Blue Stone Road from Galambos Way to Hilderbrand Drive
- Sandy Springs Circle from Galambos Way to Hilderbrand Drive
- Galambos Way between the parking deck entrances
Roads reopen by 9 p.m. Parking spaces along the route, Galambos Way and Blue Stone Road start closing Thursday, Dec. 3.
Parking, shuttles and MARTA
| Option | Where | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| City Springs underground garage | Entrances at 1 Galambos Way and 6300 Blue Stone Road | East entrance closes 5:45 to 7 p.m.; west entrance closes 6:15 to 7 p.m. |
| City Springs South Lot | 182 Hilderbrand Drive NE | ADA parking only; shuttle pickup and drop-off |
| Nearby business lots | Sandy Springs Commerce Building, 333 Sandy Springs Circle; Ameris, 225 Sandy Springs Circle; Chase, 6180 Roswell Road; Truist, 6240 Roswell Road; Mr. Tire, 6258 Roswell Road | Listed by the city for event parking |
| Not allowed | Century Springs | The city asks visitors not to park there |
Last year, the city ran free shuttle parking from Lake Forest Elementary, 5920 Sandy Springs Circle, from 3:45 to 8:15 p.m. The city's parking page still shows the 2025 date, so check the city's car and shuttle page for the 2026 schedule before you count on it.
On MARTA, Route 5 runs every 20 minutes on weekends. Northbound riders get off at Roswell Road and Mount Vernon Highway, stop 906326. Southbound riders use Roswell Road and Hilderbrand Drive, stop 902700, because of construction. Route 87 runs every 40 minutes on weekends and connects to the North Springs and Dunwoody rail stations. It uses stop 906326 northbound and Roswell Road at Johnson Ferry Road, stop 906303, southbound. Details are on the city's MARTA page.
City Green stays a rink until January
Skate City Springs runs on City Green for about nine weeks, from Nov. 13 through Jan. 18. Opening night, Friday, Nov. 13, starts at 7 p.m. with an exhibition by the Atlanta Figure Skating Club, and it's also the season's first themed night, Fright Night.
This season adds tiered pricing. Monday through Thursday, tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for kids ages 2 to 9. Friday through Sunday, they're $18 and $15. Group packages for birthdays and corporate outings are also new. Each ticket covers skate rental and a one-hour timed session. Every night at 6 p.m. is Glow Night, Fridays bring Disco Slide Nights starting at 6 p.m., and Saturdays have themed skates from 8 to 10 p.m. The rink recommends reserving online and suggests calling (404) 890-6690 to check availability before walking up. Ticket sales and booking details are on the Skate City Springs page.
On Sparkle day, the rink is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with first-come, first-served time slots, and the Ansley Stewart Band plays live for skaters starting at 4:30 p.m. Because the rink takes up City Green, blankets and lawn chairs aren't allowed on the lawn. The event itself is free, and food and market purchases are extra. After Dec. 6, the menorah is lit each night of Hanukkah, and the tree stays lit through New Year's Day.
Next summer, Chastain Creamery and Salted Melon are scheduled to open on the Hillcrest side of Mount Vernon Highway, and the Sparkle parade will pass an occupied building where it now passes cranes.
At Rich Richardson, we watch how projects like Hillcrest and City Springs 2.0 change how a downtown is used day to day, starting with which streets you can walk. If you're curious how the changes south of Mount Vernon Highway might affect what your home is worth, get your instant home valuation, and we'll talk it through, from first sketch to opening day.
