Lights on the Loop Outgrew Its Weekends. Your Best Night on the Alpha Loop Might Be a Tuesday.

On the first Lights on the Loop in December 2024, the hot chocolate line had a rival. "The line for the hot chocolate was about as long as the line for people wanting to talk about the map," foundation board member Karen Richard told Appen Media. That event ran two nights, Dec. 13 and 14. At least 400 people came out to see the newly finished mile of trail between Old Milton Parkway and Northwinds Summit, with its tunnel and 12-foot-wide bridge.

A year later, the same mile had more than 31,000 visitors over December, according to figures the Alpha Loop Foundation presented to the Alpharetta Development Authority this September. That growth is pushing the 2026 edition in a new direction. The foundation's plan puts more weight on the quiet nightly walk and less on the big event weekends.

Three Decembers, three versions of the event

The display has changed shape every year. The biggest change came between the first and second years, when two nights turned into a month.

Look at the last row. The foundation hopes about 10,000 more people will walk the trail this December. Over the same stretch, it expects registrations for the themed weekends to drop by almost half. Organizers expect most of that growth on the regular nights, with no stage or village and only the lights in the trees.

The extension-cord problem that started at City Hall

Most of the infrastructure behind those regular nights went up after last year's display.

In 2025, the foundation paid for temporary power to run the lights. At a Dec. 8 City Council meeting, City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said that bill came to $17,000, and that permanent power along the trail would cost about $20,000, according to Appen Media. "If you pay $20,000 once, and it's done, the return on that investment is in one year," he said. Councilman Fergal Brady asked staff to consider putting the project in the city budget.

WSB Radio covered the same discussion. It quoted Councilman Douglas DeRito saying, "It's going to become one of those things that Alpharetta is known for."

By this fall, part of that power was in the ground. At the September Development Authority meeting, the foundation thanked the authority for a $20,000 contribution. That money paid for permanent power near the tunnel on the south side of Westside Parkway, which means the foundation needs fewer of the temporary power boxes it used in 2025. The same meeting approved another $25,000 for the foundation at its top sponsorship level, on a 4–0 vote of the members taking part.

Money isn't the problem it used to be. The foundation told the authority it raised about $140,000 from roughly 20 sponsors for 2025. For 2026 it reported $77,000 confirmed and another $150,000 in the pipeline. Its plans include reusable pieces, such as collapsible 10- to 12-foot arches and photo backdrops, that can be stored and set up again each year.

Why there's one fewer weekend this year

With more money and permanent power, the limit now is people. The foundation told the Development Authority it cut the themed weekends from three to two because of volunteer capacity, and it plans more interactive features at the weekends that remain. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and according to the official event page, Lights on the Loop is its biggest fundraiser of the year. If you want to help, the event page points volunteers to sign up through Hands on Atlanta.

That leaves a lot of quiet nights on the calendar. From Dec. 4 into early January, only four evenings have programming. Every other night, the trail is just lit from 5:30 to 11 p.m., and admission is free.

Here's how to pick your night:

1. For the light display itself, go any night that isn't a themed weekend. You get the same mile of lights through the tunnel and over the bridge, with no village and no registration.
2. For live music and a crowd, go Dec. 4 or 5.
3. For a walk with the dog, go Dec. 18 or 19.
4. For the late shift, the lights stay on until 11 p.m., well after the themed programs end at 8:30 p.m.

The two weekends that will be busy

The season starts with the "Switch On The Lights" celebration on Friday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m. That opens the Holiday Music Showcase on Dec. 4–5, with performances from the Alpharetta Symphony, the Alpharetta City Band, local musicians and a holiday DJ.

The pet-friendly weekend on Dec. 18–19 brings back Llamas on the Loop. Both themed weekends run 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and include the Lights & Delights Village behind 2500 Northwinds Parkway. The village has artisan vendors, seasonal food and non-alcoholic drinks for sale, a holiday DJ, family entertainment and costumed characters for photos.

Registration runs through Eventbrite, and weather updates go to people who registered. The weekend events go ahead rain or shine unless there's heavy rain or severe weather. Last year, Atlanta on the Cheap described the RSVP as a way to help organizers plan for crowds, not as a ticket. That year, themed weekends also had a free shuttle from city parking decks.

Before the Loop lights up, three trees on three nights

The two weeks before Lights on the Loop opens are full of other holiday events. The weekend before Thanksgiving has a tree lighting every night, each in a different part of town:

• Friday, Nov. 20: The Hamilton Alpharetta. The downtown hotel's lighting runs 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., and the tree is lit at 6:30 p.m. Expect live music, carolers from the Alpharetta High School Chorus, photos with Santa and holiday classics on the big screen on the Amenity Deck. Admission is free.
• Saturday, Nov. 21: Season of Celebration. The city's tree lighting runs 5 to 8 p.m., with the main stage in front of City Hall and a 50-foot tree. Live holiday music, snow flurries, strolling characters and Santa are on the program, and the city suggests bringing portable chairs.
• Sunday, Nov. 22: Lighting of Avalon. Festivities run 2 to 7:30 p.m., and the 40-foot tree is lit at 7 p.m. Avalon on Ice opens to the public at 3 p.m. Avalon suggests its free parking decks, valet at 3rd Street, or parking at Gwinnett Technical College and taking the event shuttle.

Avalon on Ice runs through Jan. 18 in The Plaza. Admission is $18, or $14 for kids 12 and under, and skates are included. Avalon set ticket sales to open Nov. 3 and encourages reservations, since walk-ups aren't guaranteed a skating time.

Getting there, and where to eat after

The lit mile runs between Northwinds Parkway and Old Milton Parkway, with free parking at 2500 and 2520 Northwinds Parkway. You can also walk or bike there. According to the Alpha Loop Foundation, more than seven miles of the Alpha Loop are now open, connecting Downtown, Avalon and Northwinds, with nearly five more miles under construction, in design or planned. Starting from Avalon, a cold walk on a quiet night can end with dinner on Avalon Boulevard.

NFA Burger opened its first full-service restaurant at Avalon in May 2025, according to the AJC, and Eater Atlanta described it as the burger concept's first full-service location. Five Daughters Bakery, known for its doughnuts and pastries, is also listed in Avalon's restaurant directory. Village Tavern, one of the local businesses the foundation named among its 2025 sponsors, is another Alpharetta spot to keep in mind.

The Holiday Music Showcase opens the season Dec. 4. If you want the lights to yourself, wait for a weeknight a few days later.

We follow how Alpharetta's trails and gathering places change from one season to the next, and that includes how they affect what nearby homes are worth. If you live near the Alpha Loop and wonder what your home is worth today, Hollingsworth & Company can help. Get your instant home valuation.