The Athens Downtown Development Authority (ADDA), in partnership with the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov), will officially celebrate the grand opening of the newly redesigned College Square on Saturday, October 24, 2026.  

The public is invited to attend a full day of community celebrations for the project in the heart of downtown Athens on College Avenue between East Broad Street and East Clayton Street.  

The College Square Redesign project transformed a street block and adjacent sidewalks into an iconic downtown space. College Square now serves as a pedestrian centered environment that improves circulation and enhanced connections, including ADA accessibility, between major downtown destinations and the University of Georgia. 

The modernized square features an array of new amenities designed to support daily relaxation and large-scale community events. Some amenities include enhanced lighting, new tables and chairs, benches, overhead shade sails, large trees, and new plantings in planters better designed for an urban environment.  

The grand opening festivities will begin on Saturday, October 24 at 11:00 AM with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to signify the formal opening of the space. Following the ceremony, Squarefest will take over the square from 1:00 until 4:00 PM with a variety of family-friendly activities. The afternoon festival is made possible through community partners such as First American Bank and Trust, Sheridan Construction, Visit Athens, SPG, and the ADDA.  

The celebration will conclude in the evening with a live outdoor concert in College Square at 7:00 PM by the popular 1990s tribute band BTBTE. 

The celebration is the first special event in the new College Square, although the space opened for public use in early September before the first University of Georgia home game. Minor improvements and installations will continue to be made to the area through early 2027. 

The College Square Redesign project cost was approximately $6.5 million dollars and was funded primarily by the ADDA through financing and parking revenue. SPLOST and TSPLOST College Square and Clayton Street projects provided $900,000 for the project, while approximately $1 million in addition funds from ACCGov was allocated for a variety of streetscape items. The overall project was managed by the ACCGov Capital Projects Department. 

ACCGov's Transportation and Public Works Department and Central Services Department closed College Square to vehicles in October 2020 as part of the Covid-19 response. The six-month pilot project closed this block to vehicular traffic and temporarily converted the area to a pedestrian and dining plaza. In the spring of 2021, the Mayor and Commission voted to permanently close College Square.  

On November 6, 2024, the Mayor and Commission approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the ADDA for the process of redesigning College Square with long-term changes. 

For more information, visit www.athenscollegesquare.com or contact the Athens Downtown Development Authority at 706-353-1421.