March 11, 2004

The Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association (ADNA) and Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) which joined forces this year to co-produce the Atlanta Downtown Festival and Tour of Lofts, have moved the event to June 12 and 13. The steering committee is counting on warmer weather and vacation schedules to bring out larger crowds than ever before.

For eight years, CAP has hosted one of the region¹s most popular home tours, The Downtown Tour of Lofts and Lifestyles. In 2002 the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association launched a festival on the streets of the historic Fairlie Poplar district held on the same weekend as the loft tour. The two non-profits are continuing to work together to create a fun-filled, lively summer event for Downtown Atlanta.

The Atlanta Downtown Festival and Tour of Lofts will be held on Saturday, June 12 and Sunday, June 13 and will feature 20 lofts or condos on a walking tour in and around Fairlie-Poplar and Centennial Olympic Park. Many lofts on the tour will feature cooking demonstrations by area chefs

The Festival, located at Broad and Walton Streets, will include live entertainment on two stages, an artist market, children¹s area, a beer garden and other activities designed to showcase the vibrancy of downtown living. Some of the Southeast¹s finest visual artists will display their work at the Festival Artists¹ Market, The children¹s area will let young artists create their own masterpieces and enjoy a series of hands-on activities, as well as having its own stage for acoustic music and storytelling.

"We feel this is a natural evolution of an event that was created to help draw a residential base to downtown. Now that the residents are here and so involved with all aspects of downtown life, it is only natural that the Tour change to celebrate, not just the potential for a Œdowntown lifestyle¹ but the reality, too. The Festival is that celebration," states A.J Robinson, President of CAP/ADID.

The Downtown Festival is a resident led event held on Walton and Broad Streets in the heart of Fairlie Poplar. In it¹s first year, it won recognition as the "Best New Festival in the State of Georgia" from Georgia Festivals and Events Association and has grown to be a major event for downtown Atlanta. The festival is produced and managed by Downtown residents who volunteer their time.

Fun at a prior festival

Applications for artists, vendors and entertainers wishing to participate in the festival are available at the ADNA web site www.atlantadna.org.

Sponsors for the Festival include

• ING
• AMC America's Mart
• NewFields
• GE Consumer Finance
• Fulton County Arts Council
• The Coca-Cola Company; and
• Sweetwater Brewing Co.

Media Sponsors:

• Atlanta Magazine
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• WMAX 105.7
• 94.9 the Lite FM

For more information or the latest updates, visit this web site regularly.

Related Links:

• Loft Tour and Festival Combine
• Atlanta Downtown Festival and Tour of Lofts
• Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association (ADNA)