Newnan City Council approved more than $3.8 million in sales tax money in October 2025 to rebuild one downtown park and create a second one. Work on the historic Farmer Street Cemetery broke ground this spring as well. Even so, every major holiday event on the 2026 calendar is set for the Court Square. The new spaces are running on a different schedule, one that leads to Newnan's 200th birthday in 2028. This season, downtown has three new civic spaces at three different stages of completion, all arranged around a square that is still the center of the holidays.
Greenville Street Park Got a Bigger Stage Because the Old One Was Too Small
The first project is already done. The City of Newnan held a ribbon cutting on July 17, 2026, for the finished improvements at Greenville Street Park. Mayor James Shepherd, council members Jim Thomasson and Cynthia Jenkins, City Manager Cleatus Phillips, and Assistant City Managers Hasco Craver and Meg Kelsey attended. In the city's announcement, Shepherd thanked residents for supporting SPLOST and said the changes would make the park a better place for the community to gather.
Before construction started, Craver gave The Newnan Times-Herald a plain reason for the redesign:
"The stage was small and couldn't accommodate the groups and performing artists we wanted to have."
The rebuild cost $1,280,786. It put a larger covered stage in place with better audio-visual and electrical service. The fountain and pergola came out to make room for more seating, and the stormwater drainage was improved. New South Construction, Comprehensive Program Services, Goodwyn Mills Cawood, and Ironwood Design Group were the city's project partners.
The park's first season after the rebuild has already wrapped up. Explore Newnan-Coweta billed October 9 as the last Fun Friday of the year at Greenville Street Park, with food trucks, games, and a set by Abbey Road. The city's Fitness in the Parks series ran Yoga on the Green there on October 14. The city's November calendar lists nothing at Greenville Street Park. The new stage is finished, but its first holiday season is a quiet one.
Bicentennial Park Is Being Built to Fill In Over Time
The second project is close to done and is designed to keep growing after it opens. Bicentennial Park is going up on a one-acre site on East Broad Street, across from the depot, as one of the ways the city is marking its 200th birthday in 2028. The plans include:
- Art walls and pedestals for sculpture
- Walking paths and a pavilion
- Restrooms, utilities, and parking
- A connection to the LINC trail system
At $2,547,798, the park costs about twice as much as the Greenville Street work. The city bid the two projects together to try for a better price and built them at the same time. The early estimate had Bicentennial Park finished this fall.
The latest update suggests a gradual finish. In a Times-Herald roundup of city projects, Phillips said the basic framework is largely complete and the fencing could come down soon. He added that historical markers and art installations will be added over the next two years. So the art walls and sculpture pedestals may stand empty for a while after the gates open, and the city expects to fill them by the bicentennial.
Farmer Street Cemetery Adds a Quieter Kind of Public Space
The third project is a different kind of space. Farmer Street Cemetery, at 92 Farmer Street, is a historic African American burial ground. The city's Phase 1 work there is meant to improve access and help visitors understand its history. In a May 1, 2026 report, The Citizen said the city had celebrated the groundbreaking that Tuesday. The scope includes a new roadway, more parking, landscaping, decorative perimeter fencing, an outdoor classroom, interpretive signs, and a trail segment, with completion expected by the end of 2026.
Building here takes more care than most park sites. Many of the graves are unmarked, so Phillips told the Times-Herald that the city brings in specialists any time soil is disturbed to make sure the improvements stay clear of burial sites. When it's finished, the site will offer something neither downtown park does: a place set up for learning and remembrance, with a path and signs that tell its story.
For Now, Court Square Still Hosts the Holidays
The city's calendar puts nearly every holiday event between now and mid-December on or around the courthouse square at 100 Court Street.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Oct. 23 | Hugh Howser | Charles Wadsworth Auditorium | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Spirits and Spice Festival | Downtown Newnan | 2–7 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Munchkin Masquerade | Downtown Newnan | 10 a.m.–noon |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Movies at the Wadsworth: Clue, 1985 | Charles Wadsworth Auditorium | 7:30–10:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Market Day | Around the courthouse square | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Holiday Sip & See | Downtown Newnan | 5–9 p.m. |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Plaid Friday and Santa on the Square | Downtown Newnan and Court House Square | 6–8 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday | Downtown Newnan | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Market Day | Around the courthouse square | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Christmas Parade | Downtown Court Square | 6 p.m. |
Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest stretch. Plaid Friday and Santa on the Square both run on the evening of November 27. Main Street Newnan's description says Santa arrives downtown in a fire truck and lights the Christmas tree on the Court House Square. Small Business Saturday follows the next day. The Spirits and Spice Festival on Saturday, October 24, promotes a Downtown Spirits Trail and specialty cocktails at participating venues.
This year's Christmas Parade, themed "Candy Cane Lane," is on Saturday, December 12, at 6 p.m. Explore Newnan-Coweta's parade page still lists last year's December 13 date, so go by the City of Newnan's 2026 registration listing. Market Day continues on the first Saturday of each month through December, which makes the December 5 market the last one of the season.
How the Pieces Connect by 2028
All three projects line up with the same date. Bicentennial Park's art and markers are expected over the next two years, which brings it to Newnan's 200th birthday in 2028. The park is also planned to connect to the LINC. The trail itself is heading toward downtown. A new section along Cougar Way behind Newnan High School will run through Newnan Utilities property to Carl Miller Park, and a later phase will continue from Cougar Way toward the city center by way of Boone Drive and Fourth Street. Farmer Street Cemetery's Phase 1 includes a trail segment of its own, scheduled to be finished by the end of 2026.
If you're curious how these downtown changes might shape your plans for the next few years, I'm always glad to talk about what's being built around the square and when it's expected to open. Reach out to Jessica Mottola anytime. Let's Connect.
