🏮 Lantern Parade + Mother's Day Sorted

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What's up, neighbors!

Saturday night the Sandy Springs Lantern Parade is at Morgan Falls. You'll walk along the Chattahoochee at dusk with thousands of other people carrying handmade lanterns, giant illuminated puppets float on the river, and the pre-party kicks off at 6 with food trucks and a DJ before the 8:30 step-off. Stop by the dollar store and pick up some glow sticks for some extra fun!

Sunday is Mother's Day, and the Dunwoody Art Festival in the Village runs both days. We're heading over Sunday morning before the post-brunch crowd shows up. Coffee in hand, no real agenda, just walking the booths and seeing what catches her eye.

If your mom would rather sit down for a fancy dinner than fight the buffet line, Rumi's Kitchen on Roswell Road is the move. We've been going for years and it's where we land when we want a Sunday night out without the drive into Buckhead.

Scroll down for the full lineup.

- Andrew

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Morgan Falls
7840 Roswell Rd., Sandy Springs, GA 30350
Saturday, May 9
Pre-party 6:00–8:30 PM
Step-off 8:30 PM
Free
Event Info

Saturday night Morgan Falls Road shuts down so a crowd can walk a mile downhill to the Chattahoochee carrying handmade lanterns.

Giant illuminated puppets lead the way.

The parade ends at Morgan Falls Overlook Park, where lanterns float on the river and a live band plays until 10 PM.

The pre-party at the start runs 6 to 8:30 with food trucks, a DJ, and a balloon artist for the kids. The parade kicks off at 8:30 sharp.

Park at 7840 Roswell Road and take the free shuttle, or walk the 10 minutes over. Cars are not allowed near the route.

Leave the dogs at home (service animals only), no bikes, no drones.

After the parade, shuttles run back to parking until 11 PM, or you can hike uphill if you want to earn it.

We're skipping the pre-party this year and just walking the parade.

It's free, it wraps by 10, and there's nothing else like it in Atlanta.

Bring a lantern if you've got one, or just come watch.

Rumi's has been Sandy Springs' go-to Persian fine-dining spot since 2006, and they redid the whole place in 2025. The new dining room has a blue-tiled open kitchen along the back wall, custom banquettes built for lingering, and a few private rooms tucked off to the side if you want it quieter. My wife and I save it for the nights when we want something fancy without driving into Buckhead. Date night, in-laws in town, anniversaries, the kind of dinner where you want the room doing some of the work.

The lamb shank is what we always end up ordering. Slow-braised, served over saffron basmati rice, and the meat falls off the bone. The Soltani kabob (filet of beef plus a chicken kabob over rice) is the easy starter pick if you've never had Persian food. The mirza ghasemi (smoked eggplant with tomato and garlic) is the appetizer to get every time, and the warm bread they bring out for free is worth saving room for. End with the saffron ice cream…. TRUST ME.

A couple things worth knowing. The dining room gets loud on weekends, so if you want a quieter night ask for a back table or the sunroom when you book. And reservations matter here. Saturday nights fill up fast, and Mother's Day will already be packed!

Price: $$$
Hours:
Mon–Thu: 11:30 AM–10:00 PM
Fri–Sat: 11:30 AM–11:00 PM
Sun: 11:30 AM–10:00 PM

Cecily Ross took over Veronica's Attic in 2003, and her daughter Eryn joined as a partner five years later. The two of them have run the shop on Sandy Springs Circle together for 17 years now. They're usually both on the floor when you walk in, and that changes the whole experience.

The shop carries clothing, jewelry, bath and body products, candles, books, and small gifts. They keep small quantities of everything and the brands rotate seasonally, so the chances of running into someone wearing the same dress at City Springs are low. The jeans (Joe's Jeans is a big one), the costume jewelry, and the candles are what regulars come back for. The selection stretches across all ages too. A 65-year-old, her 40-year-old daughter, and her 18-year-old granddaughter can walk in together and all three find something they actually want.

What separates Veronica's from a mall boutique is the styling help. Cecily has texted customers from her personal cell to confirm an outfit for a wedding the next morning. Eryn knows what's new and what's already gone. They'll tell you when something doesn't work and pull a different option without making you feel awkward.

It’s closed Sunday, so plan a Saturday stop if you want gifts wrapped before Mother's Day morning.

Price: $$
Hours:
Mon–Sat: 10:30 AM–5:30 PM
Closed Sundays

5 beds
6 baths
7,384 sqft
1.62 acre lot

A) $1,305,000

B) $1,150,000

C) $1,520,000

D) $1,225,000

Atlanta-based developer Insignia has filed for state review on Embassy Row, a 28-acre mixed-use proposal at 6600 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, just north of Perimeter Mall. The plan calls for 1,068 multifamily units and 111 townhomes, plus office and retail components, on an aging Central Perimeter office campus.

If approved, the project would significantly shift the Perimeter's residential mix.

The Development of Regional Impact review opens a state-level comment window before Sandy Springs takes any formal action. Watch the city's planning commission calendar for the next public step.

Sources: Urbanize Atlanta | AJC

The Sandy Springs Planning Commission has recommended approval of a 21-home subdivision rezoning along the Dunwoody border, sending the proposal to the City Council on May 19. The plan would shift the parcel to single-family residential.

For neighbors and anyone tracking infill development in the area, the May 19 session is the public comment window before the vote.

Source: Rough Draft Atlanta

High Street Residential, the residential arm of Trammell Crow, withdrew its application for a 280-unit apartment complex at Perimeter Summit at the April 28 Brookhaven City Council meeting. The 2.7-acre vacant parcel is currently zoned for a 12-story office tower.

Residents had been showing up at planning commission and community meetings for months, raising concerns about multi-family overdevelopment and property values. The developer did not commit to returning with a revised plan.

This is a rare case where local pushback ended a project before a formal vote. Worth noting if you track density debates across Brookhaven and Dunwoody.

Source: Rough Draft Atlanta

Brookhaven City Council approved a $150 million redevelopment along North Druid Hills Road at its April 14 meeting, in partnership with Nalley Automotive and the Brookhaven Development Authority. The plan transforms aging office and hotel properties into a master-planned campus anchored by a Nalley BMW dealership, with future space set aside for an upscale hotel.

The agreement also commits $8 million to the Brookhaven Development Authority for trail expansion, connectivity, and other infrastructure within the PCG corridor.

If you drive North Druid Hills regularly, expect construction activity in the coming months as the project moves into design and permitting.

Sources: Brookhaven city news | CBS Atlanta

Sandy Springs City Council awarded a $4 million contract to Eastern Builders Inc. at its April 7 meeting to build the new 23-acre Old Riverside Park along the Chattahoochee River at 6500 Old Riverside Drive. Construction begins in the coming weeks, with completion targeted for the end of 2026.

This adds to the city's 28-park system and opens up a stretch of the Chattahoochee that's sat undeveloped for years. If you walk, run, or paddle the river, this is the one to keep an eye on this summer.

Sources: Rough Draft Atlanta | Appen Media

Somehow this cat ended up on the street at an Atlanta apartment complex with a litter of kittens in tow. The kittens have all been adopted out, and now this sweet, gentle momma is finally up for her own turn. Her name is Mandy. She's a year and a half old, a Maine Coon mix with medium fluff and a dilute tortoiseshell coat.

She rolls on her back and lets you pet her belly. That alone is rare cat behavior. She also loves a head scratch and is affectionate, curious, and friendly. Basically all the traits that make a cat fun to live with. She's already spayed, vaccinated, and house-trained, and after raising a litter outdoors, she's earned a soft couch.

One honest note: Mandy is FIV+, which she likely picked up during her time outside. FIV is not the scary diagnosis it used to be. It only spreads through deep bite wounds, not through shared bowls, litter boxes, or casual contact. Plenty of households mix FIV+ and FIV-negative cats with no issue. She's known to be good with other cats.

Patty's Kitties is the rescue handling her. The director, Patty Scott, reviews every application personally, calls references, and delivers the cat to your home for a quick visit before finalizing. To start, submit an inquiry through Petfinder or contact Patty directly.

Patty's Kitties
Atlanta, GA
(404) 281-9035

🛍️ Spruill Gallery Mother's Day Shop Days — Spruill Gallery | 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | All day | Free to browse | More: spruillarts.org
20% off candles, soaps, creams, and balms on Friday only. Easy after-school stop if mom is still on your list. Different category each day through the weekend.

🎨 Dunwoody Art Festival - Dunwoody Village | 1317 Dunwoody Village Pkwy, Dunwoody | 10:00 AM-6:00 PM | Free | More: splashfestivals.com
The biggest local festival of the weekend, and a Mother's Day tradition for a reason. Artists from across the country, a kids zone, food trucks, and free shuttles from Dunwoody City Hall at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road.

🥬 Sandy Springs Farmers Market - City Springs | 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 8:30 AM-12:00 PM | Free | More: citysprings.com
The pre-festival warm-up. Vendors line the Plaza, the kids can grab a fresh muffin, and you can pick up flowers for tomorrow before everyone else thinks of it.

🌱 Spring Gardening Workshop - Dunwoody Nature Center | 5343 Roberts Dr, Dunwoody | 9:00-10:30 AM | $10 | More: dunwoodynature.org
Hands-on session for kicking off the planting season. Good for older kids who want to garden alongside a parent and walk away with practical tips, plus the trails are open after.

🥕 DHA Farmers Market — Brook Run Park | 4770 N Peachtree Rd, Dunwoody | 9:00 AM-12:00 PM | Free | More: dunwoodyga.org
The Saturday morning anchor. Coffee, baked goods, fresh produce, and the playground right there for the kids when they get restless.

💐 Mother's Day Pop-Up — Downtown Norcross | Peachtree Street | 12:00-5:00 PM | Free | More: norcrossga.net
A walkable afternoon a few minutes from Peachtree Corners. Flower wall photo experience at 9 S. Peachtree, Tea with Alice & the White Rabbit at 127 S. Peachtree, plus participating shops with treats and giveaways. Good Saturday-after-the-festival plan.

💐 Mother's Day at Spruill Gallery — Spruill Gallery | 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 10:00 AM–6:00 PM | Free | More: spruillarts.org
20% off everything in the +Shop, plus a hand-assembled complimentary bouquet with purchase from Atlanta artist Kathy Walton (who teaches flower arranging at Spruill). Easy hit on the way to or from the Art Festival across town.

🤲 Second Saturday Volunteering — Dunwoody Nature Center | 5343 Roberts Dr, Dunwoody | Sat May 9, 9:00 AM–12:00 PM | Free | More: dunwoodynature.org
Monthly community workday — trail upkeep, plantings, general grounds support. Family-friendly for older kids who can swing a tool.

🪔 Sandy Springs Lantern Parade - Pre-parade party, then Morgan Falls route | Parking 7840 Roswell Rd, Sandy Springs | Pre-party 6:00-8:30 PM, step-off 8:30 PM | Free | More: sandyspringsga.gov
Bring a handmade lantern (or just spectate) and follow the glowing crowd down toward the Chattahoochee, where giant illuminated puppets float on the river. The new pre-party site has a DJ, food trucks, and time to find your people before step-off.

🎨 Chastain Park Spring Arts Festival - Chastain Park | 4469 Stella Dr, Atlanta | 11:00 AM-5:00 PM | Free | More: chastainparkartsfestival.com
A bit out of range, but it’s a free outdoor festival with up to 185 artists, a children's area, gourmet food trucks, and acoustic musicians around the park. Easy stop on the way to or from brunch.

🎨 Dunwoody Art Festival, Day Two - Dunwoody Village | 1317 Dunwoody Village Pkwy, Dunwoody | 10:00 AM-5:00 PM | Free | More: splashfestivals.com
If you missed Saturday or want a quieter walk through, Sunday is usually less packed and the artists are still all there.

☕ Mother's Day Experience at Spruill Gallery — Spruill Gallery | 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 12:00–4:00 PM | Free | More: spruillarts.org
25% off everything in the +Shop on Mother's Day, plus complimentary tea, coffee, and light refreshments while you browse. Quieter alternative to the Botanical Garden if mom would rather wander a small gallery than fight crowds.

🥃 ASW Distillery Tour and Tasting - ASW Distillery, Buckhead | 199 Armour Dr Ste C, Atlanta | 3:00-8:00 PM (tours and tastings) | $18, or $20 with souvenir Glencairn glass | More: aswdistillery.com
Atlanta's hometown whiskey distillery, tucked into the Armour Yards block. Friday afternoon is the only window for tours at the Buckhead location. The Fiddler bourbon flight is the easy starting point and walk-ins are welcome.

🎭 Mean Girls - Byers Theatre at Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center | 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 8:00 PM | Tickets from $70 | More: cityspringstheatre.com
City Springs Theatre Company's regional premiere, with book by Tina Fey. Recommended for ages 13 and up. Walking distance to dinner around the Plaza if you make a night of it.

🎻 Apocalyptica - Buckhead Theatre | 3110 Roswell Rd, Atlanta | 8:00 PM | Tickets via Live Nation | More: ticketmaster.com
The Finnish cello-metal four-piece doing what they do. Loud, virtuosic, and unlike anything else playing in Buckhead this year.

🧘 Yoga with Periwinkle Yogi — Spruill Event Studio | 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 8:00–9:00 AM | Free, registration required | More: spruillarts.org
A slow-style, all-levels class with no prior experience needed. Bring a mat and water (or rent a mat for $5). Easy way to start the weekend before the festival kicks off Saturday.

🎨 Opening Reception: "Returns" Exhibition — Spruill Gallery | 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody | 6:00–9:00 PM | Free | More: spruillarts.org
The second iteration of Spruill Gallery's Returns exhibition, welcoming back 2023 AMPLIFY muralist Charity Hamidullah alongside Sayma Hossain and Masela Nkolo. Light refreshments. Show runs through June 19, but the opening night is the one with the artists in the room.

🧘 Tai Chi at DNC — Dunwoody Nature Center | 5343 Roberts Dr, Dunwoody | Sat May 9, 9:00–10:00 AM | $15 | More: dunwoodynature.org
Tai Chi Gung practice with a regular instructor at the Sunporch. Adult-leaning. Useful if you want a third Saturday Adult option that isn't food or a show.

🎶 Alison Krauss & Union Station feat. Jerry Douglas - Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park | 4469 Stella Dr, Atlanta | 7:30 PM | Tickets from $61 | More: ticketsqueeze.com
Krauss is touring the Arcadia album with Union Station for the first time in over a decade. The Chastain amphitheater is picnic-style, so bring a blanket and a small spread if you want.

🌿 Mother's Day Kokedama Class - Dunwoody Nature Center | 5343 Roberts Dr, Dunwoody | 10:00-11:30 AM | $63 | More: dunwoodynature.org
Japanese moss-wrapped plant art, taught by Sandy Springs-based artist Keiko Talim of Kikodama LLC. You walk away with a tabletop sculpture and a slower hour. Sweet pre-Mother's Day move if mom is the gardener type.

🌹 Mean Girls, Mother's Day Matinee - Byers Theatre at Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center | 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs | 2:00 PM | Tickets from $70 | More: cityspringstheatre.com
Every mom in the audience gets a complimentary rose. Recommended for ages 13 and up, so this is the date-with-mom pick rather than the take-the-little-kids one.

🥂 Mother's Day Brunch at Ray's on the River - Ray's on the River | 6700 Powers Ferry Rd, Sandy Springs | 10:00 AM-7:00 PM | $85 per guest | More: raysontheriver.com
The Sandy Springs default for occasions, with a Chattahoochee River patio that earns its reputation in May. Buffet only on Mother's Day. Reserve early, the room books out every year.

This is the rare park that gives you something to do depending on who you came with. Blackburn is 51 acres on Ashford Dunwoody Road, big enough that a tennis match, a youth ball game, a kid's birthday party, and a quiet walk can all happen at the same time without anyone bumping into anyone else. It's the Brookhaven catch-all and the city keeps adding to it.

What it is: Blackburn Park sits between Ashford Dunwoody Road and Johnson Ferry Road. The headline feature is the Blackburn Tennis Center, an 18-court complex with a pro shop that's easily one of the better public tennis setups in north Atlanta. Beyond that, you've got ball fields, soccer fields, a renovated playground, paved walking paths that loop the entire park, a community garden, multiple picnic shelters, and big open greenspaces that double as overflow when the youth leagues are using the fields.

Plan it (mornings work best): Show up before 10 AM for parking on Saturdays, especially during baseball season. The paved loop is the easiest way in if you're not sure where to start, and the playground stays shaded enough to be comfortable through midmorning. The community garden is worth a slow walk-through if you've got curious kids.

On the trails (under an hour): Park near the playground off Ashford Dunwoody and pick a direction. The paved path circles the entire park with shaded sections through the wooded edges. It also ties into the PATH Foundation's Nancy Creek Trail if you want to extend the walk past the park itself.

Logistics: Free parking in multiple lots. Restrooms near the playground and tennis center. Dogs welcome on leash. The pavilion is rentable through the city if you're planning a birthday or family gathering, otherwise first-come, first-served.

Heads up: Tennis courts are first-come, first-served unless you've reserved through the Tennis Center. Weekend mornings during baseball season fill the parking lots fast, so earlier is easier. And if you missed the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival here in March, mark your calendar for next year. It's the big annual event at Blackburn and it draws a real crowd.

🚗 Get Directions on Google Maps

🚶 See the trail map + info

Hail, straight-line wind, and the 2 AM tornado warning. That's the metro Atlanta spring tradition nobody asks for. Most homeowners only learn what their policy covers after a storm, which is the worst possible time.

Two things to check this week:

1. Replacement Cost Value (RCV) vs. Actual Cash Value (ACV) on your roof. RCV pays the full cost to replace your roof. ACV deducts depreciation, which on a 12-year-old roof can mean tens of thousands of dollars less coming back to you on a claim. A lot of Georgia carriers have quietly moved older roofs to ACV at renewal over the last two years. Most homeowners never noticed, because nothing on the dec page screams about it. Check now, not after the next storm.

2. Your wind/hail deductible. On a lot of Georgia policies, this gets broken out separately from your standard deductible. It's priced as a percentage of your dwelling coverage (1% to 5%) instead of a flat dollar amount. On a $600,000 home, a 2% wind/hail deductible is $12,000 out of pocket before the carrier pays a dime. If that number surprises you, your policy needs a review.

If you haven't reviewed your homeowners policy in the last 12 months, this is the week.

👉 Get a free policy review with Peachy Insurance

City of Sandy Springs is staffing up across parks, public works, and police ahead of summer. Active openings include lifeguards, parks maintenance, recreation program leaders, sworn police officers, and 911 communications operators. Lifeguards start around $15-$17/hour and the city covers the certification class for new hires. Good summer pickup for college students or anyone who wants to work outdoors.

👉 Browse openings

Brookhaven Police Department is recruiting both certified and non-certified officers ahead of summer. Starting pay for sworn officers is competitive for metro Atlanta, and lateral transfers can come in at higher pay. They're also hiring for civilian roles including communications, records, and code enforcement. Tuition reimbursement is available for officers pursuing additional training or certifications.

👉 Browse openings

Bonus help (free): WorkSource Atlanta Regional connects North Fulton residents with free career coaching, resume help, and job matching. Walk-ins welcome at the Sandy Springs office or call to schedule.

👉 Visit WorkSource