The old Smokey Bones building across from The Avenue has a new tenant. J. Alexander's opened there on Aug. 31, with a ribbon-cutting by the Fayette County Chamber and a champagne christening before the doors opened to the public, as The Trail, McIntosh High School's student paper, reported. Two weeks ago, on Nov. 5, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams opened inside The Avenue at 232 City Circle and gave away free scoops from 6 to 10 p.m. on opening night.
Thanksgiving is a week away, and Peachtree City's own holiday calendar for 2026 is very short. Most of the season will happen at The Avenue and across the street, and this December that corner has a new dinner spot and a new dessert stop within a few steps of each other.
The city calendar has one December date
The City of Peachtree City's 2026 Recreation and Special Events calendar has one December event, Hometown Holiday, and no Christmas parade, according to Peachtree City Daily's holiday roundup.
Hometown Holiday starts at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5, at Drake Field, 155 Willowbend Road, next to City Hall and the library. The city's Recreation and Special Events Department runs it and is taking vendor applications for the day. Drake Field sits on the multiuse path network, so getting there by golf cart or bike is easy. If you have questions about the day, call Recreation and Special Events at 770-631-2525.
That's one Saturday afternoon on the city calendar. The Avenue has something scheduled on seven separate days between Black Friday and Dec. 21. For visiting family, that difference decides where the season actually happens.
What changed on the corner this fall
The two new spots make it easier to plan a whole evening around one corner.
J. Alexander's is at 100 Market Place Boulevard, directly across from The Avenue. The opening announcement on RestaurantNews.com lists prime rib, hand-cut steaks, seafood, sushi and sandwiches, plus regulars like the Thai Kai Chicken Salad and Steak Maui. It's open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. It's the brand's fourth Georgia restaurant, following its location at The Battery Atlanta. The Trail described it as easy to reach by golf cart or car.
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams is at 232 City Circle, Suite 800. It opens at 11 a.m. every day and stays open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, according to The Citizen. The company calls it its first shop in South Metro Atlanta. Current hours are on Jeni's Peachtree City shop page.
Look at the hours side by side. On weeknights, Jeni's stays open as late as J. Alexander's does, and on Fridays and Saturdays it's open an hour later. Dinner across Market Place Boulevard followed by a walk over for dessert works on any night of the week. The Avenue itself is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, though individual stores and restaurants set their own hours.
The new restaurant is also open to high school job seekers. General manager Rachel Garrison told The Trail that J. Alexander's hires starting at age 16, and that new hires can begin as hosts or server assistants and move into other roles later.
"We always believe in growth, so we want to make sure that people have the opportunity to grow into the positions that they would like to do," Garrison told The Trail.
Black Friday to Dec. 21, date by date
Here is The Avenue's holiday schedule alongside the one city event and the nearby events worth a short drive. The Avenue's events are free unless noted. The Avenue is at 239 City Circle.
| Date | Event | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Black Friday Giveaway, totes for the first 100 shoppers | Starts 8 a.m. | Fountain Court, The Avenue |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Fayetteville Christmas Parade, then Light Up City Center Park | Parade 5 p.m., lighting 6 to 8 p.m. | Downtown Fayetteville |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Tyrone Christmas Tree Lighting and Market | 2 to 7 p.m., fireworks at 7 | Shamrock Park, Tyrone |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Hometown Holiday | Starts 4 p.m. | Drake Field |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Strolling Holiday Carolers | 1 to 4 p.m. | Throughout The Avenue |
| Mon., Dec. 7, 14 and 21 | Holiday Photos with Santa Claus | 5 to 7 p.m. | The Avenue |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | Pawsome Holiday Party | 5 to 8 p.m. | Central Park, The Avenue |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | A Very Merry Holiday Stroll | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Throughout The Avenue |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Miracle on Main Street Market | 4 to 8 p.m. | City Center Park, Fayetteville |
A few details from the event pages help with planning. Santa photos come with one free digital photo per family, and kids are invited to bring a wish list. The Pawsome Holiday Party has pet photography and pet-friendly vendors, so it's the one to bring the dog to. The Dec. 12 Holiday Stroll has a holiday vendor market, carolers, a balloon artist, Buddy the Elf, and Elsa, Anna and Olaf from "Frozen."
The first weekend of December is the busiest
The busiest stretch falls Dec. 5 through Dec. 7. Hometown Holiday is Saturday afternoon at Drake Field, carolers are at The Avenue Sunday afternoon, and Santa's first Monday evening is Dec. 7. That's three events on three days in two places, both reachable by golf cart.
Those are also good nights to try the new corner. Saturday's event at Drake Field starts at 4 p.m., which still leaves time for a later dinner at J. Alexander's, open until 10, or a trip to Jeni's, open until 11 on Saturdays. On Monday, Santa photos end at 7 p.m., and both J. Alexander's and Jeni's stay open until 10.
Dec. 12 is the other strong date if you have guests in town that weekend. The Holiday Stroll ends at 3 p.m., and the Miracle on Main Street Market in Fayetteville starts at 4 p.m.
The nights before Thanksgiving have no events, but the corner is open
Nothing is scheduled at The Avenue or on the city calendar between now and Black Friday. For a Tuesday or Wednesday night of Thanksgiving week, the new pair carries the evening. You can have dinner at J. Alexander's, walk across to Jeni's and look around The Avenue before it closes at 9.
Running families should know that the closest Turkey Trot is in Senoia. The Senoia 5K Turkey Trot is Saturday, Nov. 21, from 8 to 9:30 a.m., starting at 30 Gin Street downtown. The race page shows a 3.3-mile route map through downtown Senoia.
The day after Thanksgiving starts back at The Avenue. The Black Friday Giveaway begins at 8 a.m. in Fountain Court, and the first 100 shoppers get a giveaway tote.
For a parade, drive seven miles to Fayetteville
Peachtree City's calendar has no parade, so the nearest one is in Fayetteville, about seven miles northeast. Main Street Fayetteville's Christmas Parade starts at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27, on the same route as last year, and you can watch from City Center Park at 210 Stonewall Ave. W. Light Up City Center Park follows from 6 to 8 p.m. with live music, cookie decorating, face painting and food trucks. The parade event page has the route, a parking map and road closures.
That makes Black Friday a full day for anyone hosting. The Avenue's giveaway is in the morning and the Fayetteville parade is at dusk.
Two days later, the Town of Tyrone, about six miles north, holds its Christmas Tree Lighting and Market, themed "Silver Bells," from 2 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 29, at Shamrock Park, 960 Senoia Road. It has artisan vendors, food trucks, an alpine tubing slide, a snowman bounce house, a carousel and Santa, and fireworks close the night at 7.
Fayetteville's Miracle on Main Street on Dec. 12 adds Santa, a letters-to-Santa station and free s'mores from the Fayetteville Fire Department at City Center Park.
For questions about an Avenue event, call The Avenue's management office at 770-486-6587.
If you're planning December around guests and one of them starts asking what it's like to live a cart ride from City Circle or Drake Field, I'm happy to talk it through with you. I'm Tina Bantin, and I know these Peachtree City streets and paths well. Let's connect.
