The 90th Atlanta Dogwood Festival opened Friday at Piedmont Park under a far heavier police presence than usual, one week after a fatal shooting at the same park during 404 Day celebrations killed a 16-year-old girl.
Atlanta police increased security across the festival grounds, on nearby streets and in surrounding residential neighborhoods as the three-day event got underway. Officers also held a tactical briefing for the festival, and the scene at the gates mixed colorful artist stalls with a visible law enforcement presence, according to local television coverage.
Chief Darin Schierbaum tried to calm concerns with a blunt warning to anyone thinking about disrupting the weekend. “It's gonna be safe, and we're gonna enjoy the time, and if you come to cause trouble, we're going to hold you accountable,” he said. He also told people, “The weather is going to be beautiful.”
Festival Executive Director Brian Hill said the security plan was built for more than the festival itself. “That's going to be the safest place to be in Atlanta, period,” he said, adding that the coverage extended to the entire community, not just the grounds inside Piedmont Park.
The timing made the added security impossible to miss. Atlanta's oldest spring tradition was back at Piedmont Park, but it returned under the shadow of a deadly shooting that raised fresh safety concerns for a city still absorbing the loss from last week. Officials encouraged the public to come out anyway and enjoy the spring break weather, with entry set at $5 to $10.
The festival is now a test of whether a familiar celebration can feel like a safe one again after violence at the same park. For police and organizers, the answer is being delivered in public, through more officers, more patrols and a clear warning that trouble will not be treated lightly.
