ATLANTA — Feb. 27, 2024 — It's time to start thinking about barbecues, fireworks and finish lines on July 4: Registration for the 55th Running of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race - "The Party of the Summer" - opens for Atlanta Track Club members at 7 a.m. on Friday, March 1.
Also launching on March 1 will be voting for this year's T-Shirt Design Contest winner, whose creation will become a treasured addition to the wardrobes of the race's 50,000 expected finishers.
New this year, members who have registered for the race will have one week only, March 8-March 14, to invite their friends and family to register at a discounted rate. (Members-only registration will also continue during that week.) A real-time leaderboard at atlantatrackclub.org will keep track of which members have recruited the most registrants to the race, with the member who comes out on top receiving a prize.
"The 55th Running of the Peachtree will be the biggest running and walking party the world has seen since the 50th Peachtree," said Rich Kenah, race director and CEO of Atlanta Track Club. "Coming off a sold-out 2024 Publix Atlanta Marathon, it's clear that the intersection of running and community in Atlanta is as strong as it's ever been. Running City USA is counting the days till the Fourth - and registering early isn't just the best way, it's the only way to ensure getting in on the fun."
Since it began in 1995, the T-Shirt Design Contest winner has been awarded a first-place prize of $1,000 - but this year, in honor of the 55th Running, it has been increased to $5,500, with the runner-up receiving $3,500 and third place, $2,500.
Vying for the award will be five finalists, chosen from 333 entries by a panel of judges from Atlanta Track Club and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The finalists are: Nick Turbo Benson, 38, Decatur; McKenzie Holtzclaw, 29, Roswell; Cece Page, 29, Atlanta; Sanitha Phansavanh, 43, Decatur; and Russ Vann, 37, Atlanta.
Voting will be open from March 1-March 31 at ajc.com/peachtree. Each design endeavors to embody the spirit of Atlanta and its iconic Independence Day event, the largest road race in the country and largest 10K in the world. Following tradition, the winning design will be kept secret until the first runner crosses the finish line on July 4.
To preview the designs before voting begins, visit here.
Atlanta Track Club members receive guaranteed entry into the AJC Peachtree Road Race for $45, the lowest price available, and get guaranteed placement into Waves A-M. They will also have free entry into the post-race member party at Park Tavern. Membership is available here.
The cost for members' invitees will be $50; it will be $55 for non-members at the outset of registration, with the price increasing as race day nears.
Registration will open to the public on March 15, and will close when the capacity of 50,000 is reached.