Schools across metro Atlanta will close Friday for a cross-city parade celebrating the Atlanta Braves’ historic World Series win, which will be capped off at Truist Park with a free concert by Ludacris and Big Boi.
The parade route will begin at the corner of Marietta Street and Peachtree Street in Downtown then travel north up Peachtree to 10th Street. The second part of the parade will be along Cobb Parkway, beginning at the corner of Riverwood Parkway and culminated at Circle 75 Parkway.
Free tickets will be available beginning Thursday, Nov. 4, and are required for the celebration at Truist Park at www.Braves.com/parade.
Premium, A-List Members, and Braves Insiders will receive early access to reserve their tickets, beginning at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., respectively. Tickets will be available to the public beginning at 1 p.m. The Braves encourage fans to arrive early and pre-purchase parking.
The Battery Atlanta will have limited capacity during the celebration. Access for non-ticket holders will be granted on a first come, first served basis.
In response to the parade, Atlanta, Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Marietta, and Clayton school systems all announced holidays on Friday.
“Due to the logistical challenges associated with the anticipated traffic, road closures and crowds expected throughout metro Atlanta … APS will observe a district holiday and be closed on Friday,” Atlanta Public Schools said on Twitter. “APS shares in the excitement of the World Series victory by our Atlanta Braves and congratulates the entire organization for a fantastic and historic season!”
Fulton County Schools superintendent Mike Looney said on Twitter that “we anticipate a large number of staff and studentss will participate and be absent, which could lead to a disruption in learning on a broad scale.”
Therefore the school district is closing Friday, Looney said, with no expectation for makeup work or remote learning.
DeKalb County Schools announced via social media they would also be closing Friday.
Cobb County Schools and Marietta City Schools also announced they would be closed Friday, with the Marietta school district saying “we will be unable to fully staff our schools.”
The Atlanta Police Department said during a Wednesday press conference that they are expecting 1 million people to attend the parade and to expect street closures and delays.
The Cobb Department of Transportation tweeted about major traffic impacts to Cobb Parkway, from Riverwood Parkway to Battery Avenue. “Please plan accordingly.”
Tuesday night, the Atlanta Braves beat the Houston Astros 7-0 to win the World Series in six games. It was the Braves’ first World Series win in 26 years, having last scored the title way back in 1995. It’s the second championship during the team’s time in Atlanta and the fourth overall in the franchise’s history.