"Medley is your front porch, your gathering space and your Third Place," Toro Development Company founder Mark Toro said in the grand-opening announcement carried by Metro Atlanta CEO in early October. Medley opened a week ago. For most of Johns Creek, the first real test of that front porch comes on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Starting this year, the city's holiday calendar has two homes about a tunnel apart. One is The Boardwalk at Town Center behind City Hall, where the city puts on its own events. The other is The Plaza at Medley, across Medlock Bridge Road, where a private developer has scheduled an ice rink and a fireworks night. The two sides take turns. In the busiest stretch, Medley goes first.
One District, Linked Under the Road
The Boardwalk and Medley were planned as two halves of one Town Center. The city describes The Boardwalk as a 20-acre park next to City Hall, running between Johns Creek Parkway and East Johns Crossing. Its trail runs about a mile from Johns Creek Parkway north to McGinnis Ferry Road. Medley sits on 43 acres at McGinnis Ferry Road and Johns Creek Parkway.
A pedestrian tunnel under Medlock Bridge Road connects them. Appen Media reported that the $6.5 million project broke ground in 2024 and was built as a safe crossing for people moving around the Town Center district, which includes both The Boardwalk and Medley. The city handles routine maintenance and the Georgia Department of Transportation handles structural inspections. The same outlet described the combined goal as a walkable district where residents can enjoy outdoor recreation, events, shopping and dining in one place.
This season is the first time both halves have holiday programming. So a holiday evening in Johns Creek can now mean parking once and walking between a city event and a restaurant dinner.
The Calendar From Now Through the Tree Lighting
November starts with the city's own events and moves across the road for Thanksgiving weekend.
| Date | Event | Where | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Honoring Our Veterans | Veterans Memorial Walk, Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road | 9 to 10 a.m. | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Diwali Celebration | The Boardwalk at Town Center, 11360 Lakefield Drive | 4 to 8 p.m. | Market and entertainment |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Literary Fair | Johns Creek United Methodist Church, 11180 Medlock Bridge Road | 3 to 7 p.m. | Free reserved tickets; $45 VIP |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Merry Medley and rink opening | Medley Boulevard and The Plaza | 4 to 8 p.m. | See Medley's event page |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Holly Jolly Block Party and tree lighting | The Boardwalk at Town Center, 11362 Lakefield Drive | 6 to 8 p.m. | Free |
This Saturday is the busiest day before Thanksgiving. The morning Honoring Our Veterans ceremony is at Newtown Park, and that afternoon the city's Diwali Celebration fills The Boardwalk with a food-and-retail market and entertainment all evening. It is also the first big Boardwalk event since Medley opened across the road. Anyone heading to Diwali can now finish the evening with dinner on Medley Boulevard by walking through the tunnel instead of driving.
The Rink Opens November 27, Not November 23
If you saw November 23 for the ice rink, that date is out of date. Toro's Oct. 7 announcement said The Plaza would become "a Rockefeller Center-inspired outdoor ice rink for the holiday season" on Nov. 23. The Johns Creek Bulletin repeated that date in its opening-day coverage on Oct. 29. The rink's current listing on Medley's Skate the Plaza page puts the grand opening on Nov. 27, 2026, and the closing on Feb. 7, 2027.
So skating starts the same night as Merry Medley and runs for about ten weeks, well past the city's tree lighting and into February. Here are the posted hours:
- Monday through 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.
- School holidays, Nov. 27 and Dec. 21 through Jan. 4: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
- Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Christmas Day: 3 to 10 p.m.
- New Year's Day: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The weekday 3 p.m. start means skating on most school days begins in the afternoon. The long all-day schedule covers winter break. The rink page lists hours but not admission or skate-rental prices, so check it before you go.
Merry Medley Is the Kickoff
Merry Medley runs from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27, along Medley Boulevard. The program includes family activities, a holiday concert, curated performances, the rink opening and fireworks. Performers and a timed schedule haven't been listed yet.
Parking at Medley works like a mixed-use center. Self-parking is in the north-side deck and surface lots. Valet is on Medley Boulevard near Concierge and costs $12 per car. Medley hasn't posted an event-specific parking plan for the night. The tunnel gives another option: park near City Hall and walk over from The Boardwalk.
The night after Thanksgiving is only the start of Medley's events. Toro's announcement described about 100 events a year, with a lineup of seasonal and feature events recurring weekly or monthly in 2027. Toro's vice president of marketing, Carla Cox, told The Creek that recurring programming will include children's activities, outdoor fitness, movie nights, live music and Symphony Sundays, according to the Johns Creek Bulletin.
Where to Eat Before or After Skating
By the time the rink opens, four weeks after the ribbon cutting, the restaurants are a big part of why skating at Medley turns into a whole evening. These businesses were announced for the Oct. 29 opening, according to the Johns Creek Bulletin and North Atlanta Star:
- STIR, a Chattanooga-based scratch kitchen and raw bar making its Georgia debut, at 3165 Medley Boulevard, with its cocktail lounge Tonic House next door
- Rena's Italian Fishery & Grill, Lily Sushi Bar, The Nest Cafe and Knuckies Eatery for a sit-down meal
- Five Daughters Bakery, Cookie Fix, Amorino Gelato, Playa Bowls and Summit Coffee for something to hold between skating sessions
Shake Shack at 2100 Medley Boulevard set its public opening for 10 a.m. on Oct. 30, the day after the ribbon cutting, North Atlanta Star reported. And for holiday shopping on the same trip, Hollow Oak, a bookstore, boutique and gift shop started by Johns Creek resident Katie Bossie, opened Oct. 29 at 4130 Medley Boulevard.
More restaurants are coming during the season. North Atlanta Star's Oct. 24 lineup listed 26 Thai Kitchen & Bar, CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro and Minnie Olivia Pizzeria as expected in the weeks after the debut. It listed Northern China Eatery, Fogón and Lions, CT Cantina & Taqueria, Tabla and Fadó Irish Pub as later arrivals, without exact dates. Since the rink stays open into February, the restaurant list you see in late January may be longer than the one you see on Nov. 27.
The City Lights Its Tree a Week Later
On Friday, Dec. 4, the season moves back to the City Hall side for the free Holly Jolly Block Party, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Boardwalk, 11362 Lakefield Drive. The evening includes Santa, cocoa, local choirs, lights and the lighting of the city's 40-foot Christmas tree.
By then the rink will have been open a week, and its Friday hours run until 11 p.m. That gives the night a natural order: tree lighting at The Boardwalk at 6, the tunnel under Medlock Bridge Road after the choirs finish, and The Plaza afterward for dinner or a skate. The city's listing doesn't mention Medley, but both events take place in the same Town Center, and this year a short walk connects them.
The Town Center's new draws are part of what buyers in Johns Creek pay attention to, and The Suits Team keeps an eye on how places like Medley and The Boardwalk shape day-to-day life nearby. If you've wondered how your home's value compares now that Town Center has filled in, start with an instant home valuation and we'll walk you through the local numbers.
