Roads to Close Saturday for Founders Parade

The finishing touches are being put on the 6th annual Johns Creek Founders Day Parade, one of the premier community events of the year, taking place Saturday, Dec. 1, at 10 a.m.

The parade, which celebrates the founding of the City of Johns Creek six years ago, will have more than 80 units, nearly 2,000 participants and about 10,000 spectators along the route on State Bridge Road from Morton Road to Kimball Bridge Road

In preparation for the big event, bands, vehicles, and floats are being assigned slots, volunteers organized, and a traffic plan implemented.

People who had planned to travel State Bridge Road on the morning of Dec. 1 should consider alternate routes, such as Abbotts Bridge Road or McGinnis Road, from about 8 a.m. to noon.

The parade route will be closed in three stages from east to west until the 1.4-mile route between Morton and Kimball Bridge roads is blocked off: (Closings include side streets. Traffic from Twingate Drive will be allowed to enter and exit State Bridge Road in the direction of Medlock Bridge Road.)

• 8 a.m. —State Bridge blocked between East and West Morton roads. Morton Road is shaped like a horseshoe with both sides crossing State Bridge Road. That means motorists on State Bridge Road can use Morton as a detour to go around the closed segment and continue on State Bridge until about 9:15 a.m.
• 8:30 a.m. —State Bridge Road blocked from West Morton Road to Jones Bridge Road. Jones Bridge will remain open until about 10 a.m.
• 10 a.m. — State Bridge Road closed all the way from East Morton Road to Kimball Bridge Road. Roadblocks lifted around noon.

The 2012 parade features notable newcomers and perennial favorites. Among the highlights are: Parris Island Marine Corps Band, the Wienermobile, Medieval Times, the "Seed and Feed Marching Abominables,” Atholl Highlanders Pipes and Drums and the Atlanta Braves Drumline.

The parade, which culminates a week of activities, will be accompanied by "Santa Jam," a community party at Johns Creek High School that features music, food, and race cars. Santa Jam starts at 10:30 a.m. and lasts until 1 p.m.