Memorial Day Weekend in Norcross: Events and Traffic

Friday, May 22 — At the start and finish of every Memorial Day weekend, I-85 through Norcross and Gwinnett County turns into a parking lot. That being said, daily traffic volume should be down on Saturday and Sunday, right? 

🚗 Luckily, I’m headed up I-75 for a friend’s wedding. But I’m still expecting traffic.

⬇️ Here are some things to keep on your Norcross radar:

⛈️ The weather forecast this weekend looks cloudy and humid with thunderstorms threatening some holiday plans. This is my favorite weather-checking site.

🇺🇸 On Monday, the City of Norcross Memorial Day Remembrance ceremony kicks off at Thrasher Park with an honorary performance and a special guest speaker. 

🎸 The 20th annual Norcross Summer Concert series begins tonight at Thrasher Park with a performance by tribute act Face 2 Face from 7:30-9:30 p.m. 

🍿 Movie Monday moves to Tuesday next week, adjusting for the Memorial Day weekend. There are free screenings of “How to Train Your Dragon” at the Norcross Cultural Arts Center at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

🗳️ We doubt you missed it, but here is Rough Draft’s election results page for the May 19 primary. We’re new to Norcross, so let us know if we missed a state or local race. We’ll stay on it for the runoffs on June 16 and the general election on Nov. 3.

Now for the meat and potatoes,
😎 Hayden

Norcross celebrates first batch of white squirrel statues

🐿️ On May 14, the public arts commission unveiled the first of five new statues part of its “White Squirrels of Norcross” project.

Mayor Craig Newton, a lifelong Norcross resident, said he’s seen the leucistic white squirrels around the city all his life. Newton, whose family moved to Gwinnett County in the early 1900s, said local folklore has it that the rare eastern gray squirrels are good luck.

“The White Squirrels of Norcross project is a creative way to celebrate our city’s character while bringing people together,” Newton said. “We invite residents and visitors to explore Norcross, learn about its history, and enjoy public art in a fun and engaging way.”

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Amy Sherald: American Sublime 

SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM

🎨 You’ve seen Amy Sherald’s iconic portrait of Michelle Obama. Now, her largest exhibition to date comes to Atlanta, featuring rarely seen paintings and monumental portraits spanning nearly two decades.

Amy Sherald: American Sublime is now open, bringing one of the leading artists of her generation back to Georgia. Secure your tickets before it’s gone.

Can only make it in the evening? We’ve got you covered. The show stays open after hours every Friday. Grab a drink, snag an exclusive exhibition poster, and explore the galleries at your leisure.

➞ Get tickets here.

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Planning phase of Norcross City Hall overhaul to begin

After years of deferring the conversation, Norcross leaders have begun talking about a city hall overhaul, signaling plans to modernize the building and rethink how it serves the public.

Rather than jumping straight to construction, the council leaned toward funding a formal planning and engineering phase in next year’s budget. The current Norcross City Hall, located at 65 Lawrenceville St., is 24 years old.

Discussions with Norcross residents, the downtown business community, and developers are anticipated. Councilmember Matt Myers said the discussion is meant to be a kickoff to give city staff direction before the council’s June 28 retreat. 

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Norcross holding open house for Buford Highway update plan 

📅 The City of Norcross invites the community to attend an open house for the five-year update of the Buford Highway Master Plan on June 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Gwinnett County Public Library’s Norcross Branch.

Community input gathered during the open house will play a key role in shaping the updated master plan and guiding future decisions related to land use, mobility, economic development, and placemaking along the corridor.

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Memorial Day Remembrance on Monday at Thrasher Park

🎖️ The City of Norcross invites the community to its annual Memorial Day Remembrance event on May 25 to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Officially called Decoration Day until 1967, Memorial Day is a federal holiday that was first observed nationally on May 30, 1868. The day centered around the tradition of Americans placing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers.

There will be complimentary hot dogs at the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Thrasher Park.

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