Tucker Day 2011 Cancelled

The Main Street Tucker Alliance, organizer of Tucker Day, announced the cancellation of the event for this year.  Construction work on Main Street is scheduled to continue through the summer, making it inaccessible for the annual celebration of the town.  This comes as a second blow to the Tucker community, which also missed out on the annual tree lighting event in December due to the construction. 

"We are saddened to call it off this year, but the fall celebration of the new Main Street will hopefully be a festive reminder of the renewed importance of our downtown area," said Honey Van De Kreke, co-general manager of the Main Street Tucker Alliance.

Many residents have asked why the Tucker Day festivities weren't moved to another street, rather than cancelled altogether.  To that, Ms. Van De Kreke explained that there were "safety concerns, with the ongoing Main Street construction nearby, and that would have been a liability" they didn't want to take on, and also, "to move it to a side street would have required going on to some areas of private property," which was another liability.

Instead, a major celebration is scheduled for the fall ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the Main Street revitalization project's completion.  It won't be a "Tucker Day," per se, but will be a "huge party" to celebrate the town, according to Ms. Van De Kreke.  Following the fall celebration, the Tucker Tree Lighting will take place annually again beginning December 2011, with the annual Tucker Day celebration resuming in May 2012, "right back to normal," she said.

Tucker Day is typically held every year on the second Saturday of May to celebrate the founding of the town.  Live music, a parade, food, arts and crafts, kids' activities, and booths from local organizations and businesses give the Main Street corridor a crowded, festival atmosphere.  Most years, the Tucker Road Race, the town's annual 5K and 1 mile Fun Run event, coincides with Tucker Day.  The road race, which is a fundraiser sponsored by the marching band, will be held this year, as scheduled, on May 7.

Tucker originally developed around the old Brownings Courthouse, which was located near the intersection of LaVista and Pleasantdale Roads, and was named for a leading Southern Baptist in the community, Henry Holcomb Tucker.  In the late 1980s, the courthouse was moved to the location in front of what is now .  The town developed around it as a small railroad community centered around businesses owned by brothers Reid and Kelly Cofer.  Despite its consistent growth, Tucker has maintained much of its small-town feel, which is one of the main draws for local residents.     

The Main Street construction project involves taking Main Street from four lanes down to two and widening sidewalks.  Streetlights, new traffic signals, and new pedestrian furniture (including benches, trash cans, and bike racks) will also be added.  The project is being funded by grants from the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and funds raised by the Main Street Tucker Alliance, as well as money provided by DeKalb County.

Some residents have expressed concern about traffic with the narrowing of Main Street, but Ms. Van De Kreke explained that "by slowing the traffic, we're hoping people will stop and spend time on Main Street, and support the businesses there.  Right now," she said, "people are speeding down it, using it as a cut-through to Lawrenceville Highway, and missing out on all that the local Tucker businesses have to offer."

Already, the revitalization is proving successful.  Two buildings are being remodeled and one has been sold.  Rotagilla Creole Cafe's business has actually improved during construction, presumably because cars have "slowed down enough to realize it's there," despite the traffic cones and tape surrounding it, she said.   

 Greenville, South Carolina overhauled their Main Street several years ago in a similar project, taking it from four lanes to two, widening sidewalks, and adding pedestrian areas.  The city was also hoping to revitalize its languishing downtown area, and it has been successful and very well received.