The 2016 Art on the Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade was by far the biggest and best yet! We’ll have official counts for you soon, but this parade was easily the most colorful and cheerful celebration we’ve had to date.
Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons created the Lantern Parade and have hosted it for the seventh year in a row on the Eastside Trail. This year, Chantelle, the Captain of the Krewe, carried a giant phoenix to lead the parade, Atlanta’s symbol of rising and rebirth.
The parade kicked off at Irwin Street around 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 10. For two miles, participants from all over the metro area and beyond came together to celebrate Atlanta with a river of color and light. The parade, which began between Old Fourth Ward and Inman Park, and ended at Piedmont Park, represents the Atlanta’s BeltLine’s power to connect and unite, both in a geographic and community sense.
Several bands accompanied the 2-mile parade, carrying the music for the participants and observers on the sidelines. Participating bands included:
- Wasted Potential Brass Band
- MOZ Drums
- Black Sheep Ensemble
- Atlanta Freedom Band
- Mausiki Scales and the Common Ground Collective
- Seed & Feed Marching Abominables
The fun didn’t stop at the end of the Eastside Trail – the bands and the crowds gathered at Piedmont Park to continue the party.
We’d like to thank the presenting sponsor of the parade, Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center. The parade, which opens the annual Art on the Atlanta BeltLine exhibition, was complemented by the Old Fourth Ward Fall Festival, a fundraising event hosted by the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership. More information about the O4WFF can be found here.
Major support for this project is provided by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts.
We would also like to thank Lieutenant Baxter and the Atlanta Police Department’s Path Force Unit for working with us on the event. Our incredible volunteers also deserve a big shout-out: we couldn’t have done it without you! Last but not least, we are thankful to Chantelle and the Krewe for bringing us this magical event for another year!
A love lantern to Chantelle Rytter, Captain of the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons. Amy Sparks Photography.
If you missed the parade, there are still plenty of things to see during the Art on the Atlanta BeltLine exhibition. Visual installations along the Eastside Trail are ongoing, and performances take place on the first two weekends in October. Stay tuned for more detailed information as it is available. THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this amazing event!
