"If people come to events here, they could park on the other side of Medlock Bridge Road, enjoy those restaurants and the businesses, and walk," Councilman Dilip Tunki told the Johns Creek Herald this summer, when the city's new pedestrian tunnel was getting its finishing touches.
This November and December are the first real test of that idea. This season most of the calendar sits in one district, the Town Center, and two different hosts run it. The City of Johns Creek programs The Boardwalk at Town Center behind City Hall. Medley, the private mixed-use development at Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road, programs its own plaza and a new ice rink. The two calendars barely overlap, they keep different hours, and the easiest way between them and the rest of the city is on foot.
Two hosts, two ways of running a season
The Boardwalk is the city's piece. It covers 20 acres next to City Hall, borders Medlock Bridge Road, and runs between Johns Creek Parkway and East Johns Crossing. It has a 15-foot-wide elevated trail, an amphitheater with a deck over the water, terraced seating and pond overlooks. The city's park page lists hours of 6 a.m. to midnight. The trail runs about a mile north from Johns Creek Parkway toward McGinnis Ferry Road, and the North Pond loop is about half a mile. The park opened in May, and the city's America 250 Independence Day celebration there drew more than 15,000 visitors, the Herald reported.
Medley is the private piece. Its address is 11650 Johns Creek Parkway, at Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road. Its public ribbon cutting is set for Oct. 29 at 10 a.m., and tenants open on a rolling basis after that. Trader Joe's has been open there since June.
The city's season is a handful of evenings, each tied to one date at the Boardwalk. Medley's season is mostly one attraction, open every day for more than ten weeks. Once you see that split, planning gets easier. The Boardwalk events are the nights you put on the calendar. The rink is what's left over for every other night.
The season, in order
- Saturday, Nov. 7: Diwali Celebration at the Boardwalk. The city's Diwali page lists 4 to 8 p.m., with a drone and light show at 7 p.m. One other city listing has shown different hours, so check that page close to the date.
- Friday, Nov. 27: Merry Medley. The day after Thanksgiving, Medley's event calendar lists a 4 p.m. start on Medley Boulevard, with a holiday concert, performances, the rink opening and a fireworks finale.
- Friday, Dec. 4: Holly Jolly Block Party at the Boardwalk. From 6 to 8 p.m., the city's event page promises Santa, cocoa, choirs, lights and the lighting of the city's 40-foot tree.
- Thursday, Dec. 10: Jingle & Mingle. The Johns Creek Chamber's annual holiday party runs 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. at YiFan Restaurant & Event Center, according to the city's listing.
- Saturday, Dec. 12: Santa at Newtown and the Art Center market. The two big draws that day are outside the Town Center, covered below.
From Nov. 7 to Dec. 12, the city's big nights and Medley's opening night land on separate dates. The only weekend that stacks two events is the last one.
The rink is the part that runs every day
Skate the Plaza, Medley's outdoor rink, opens with Merry Medley on Nov. 27 and runs through Feb. 7, 2027. Medley's rink page lists these regular hours:
| Day | Regular hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Thursday | 3 to 10 p.m. |
| Friday | 3 to 11 p.m. |
| Saturday | 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| Sunday | 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
Count it out and that's 73 days of skating, which is a long way from a single night with a tree. The rink keeps going five weeks past New Year's, well after the Boardwalk's holiday calendar ends. On weekdays the 3 p.m. opening matches the end of the school day. Saturdays get the widest window. The page says hours change on school holidays, and it labels Nov. 27 as Thanksgiving Day even though Thanksgiving is Nov. 26 this year. So check its holiday-hours list with Medley before planning around a specific day off. Ticket prices and skate rental details aren't posted on the event page yet.
The tunnel is how the west side gets in
This is where Councilman Tunki's comment comes in. The Medlock Bridge Road pedestrian tunnel sits just north of Johns Creek Parkway. The city announced it open on Aug. 20, 2026 and said it "connects neighborhoods, restaurants, retail, The Boardwalk park, and Johns Creek Town Center."
The tunnel is 124 feet long and 42 feet wide. According to the Johns Creek Herald, it links homes and businesses on the west side of Medlock Bridge Road to the Boardwalk. Public works director Brian O'Connor told the paper the floor is artificial turf so tents can go up for events and festivals. The paper put the project at $6.5 million, paid for with Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax money, and the total at $7 million once right-of-way and engineering were included.
That 15,000-person July 4 crowd shows why the tunnel matters for holiday nights. Without it, getting from the west side of Medlock Bridge to the Boardwalk meant crossing a major road on foot or driving into City Hall's lot with everyone else. Now a family on that side can park near the shops and restaurants there, walk under the road, and come out at the park. The tunnel crosses Medlock Bridge Road. It doesn't run between the Boardwalk and Medley. The Boardwalk trail heads north toward McGinnis Ferry Road, the same direction as Medley, but you shouldn't count on a marked trail entrance into Medley.
If you drive, know which lot belongs to which host
The two hosts park people separately, which makes sense since they're separate operations.
- Boardwalk events: Public and ADA parking is at Johns Creek City Hall, 11360 Lakefield Drive. The park entrance is on the path to the left of City Hall's front entrance.
- Medley and the rink: Medley's parking page lists daily self-parking in its deck and in surface lots on the north side of the property, plus $12 valet at the Medley Boulevard drop-off near Concierge.
Neither the Holly Jolly page nor the Merry Medley page mentions special event parking or a shuttle.
The roads around the district are also still changing. The Johns Creek Parkway project is narrowing the parkway from four lanes to two, adding on-street parking, building a roundabout at Lakefield Drive and upgrading the signal at East Johns Crossing. The city's project progress page had an Aug. 28, 2026 update saying the roundabout's center island was done, with final sidewalk sections and paving still to finish. If you haven't driven Lakefield Drive since summer, leave a few extra minutes on Dec. 4.
Dec. 12 is the Saturday to plan ahead for
The season's busiest day starts away from the Town Center. On Saturday, Dec. 12, Breakfast with Santa is at Park Place at Newtown, 3125 Old Alabama Road, with seatings at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Snacks with Santa follows at 1:30 and 3 p.m., and Adaptive Recreation Lunch with Santa is at noon in the same building. Registration opens Nov. 1 at 8 a.m.
That same day, The Art Center holds its Holiday Pop-Up Market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6290 Abbotts Bridge Road. Since the rink opens at 11 a.m. on Saturdays, you can do a breakfast seating at Newtown, the market on Abbotts Bridge and a late-afternoon skate at Medley all on Dec. 12.
The Santa registration date is the one to set a reminder for. Nov. 1 is a Sunday, so the 8 a.m. opening comes before most weekend plans start.
If you're planning your Town Center nights this season, or just have questions about life around Medlock Bridge and McGinnis Ferry, Manny is happy to talk them through. Let's connect at Mano Sells Homes.
