"Intentionally designed to bring new energy and experiences to Sandy Springs." That's how the City of Sandy Springs described its new Night Market when it announced the series on August 17, 2026. The same announcement says where the city wants that energy to go. It calls the market an after-work version of the Saturday morning market, held "on the north end" of the city.
The Saturday market has stayed at City Green. The new one went up Roswell Road to River Springs Shopping Center at 8610 Roswell Road. It runs on the first Thursday of September, October and November, from 5 to 8 p.m., with more than 30 local farmers, food producers, artisans and specialty vendors. The September 3 and October 1 dates have passed. The city's event listing shows one more, Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Why a pilot changes what November 5 means
The Georgia Sun reported on September 28 that the city launched the Night Market as a pilot program "to see whether residents want a regular Thursday evening market," and that the October 1 and November 5 dates close out the season.
That makes November 5 more than one last chance to shop. It's the final data point in a test. Recurring weeknight events depend on whether people show up, and this one has a short trial window of three Thursdays, all on the north end of Roswell Road. No coverage so far reports turnout or vendor feedback from the first two markets, and the city hasn't said whether the series will return in 2027. So the last market of 2026 is the clearest remaining signal.
One detail could cause confusion. The Georgia Sun article lists the address as 8830 Roswell Road. The city's own announcement and event page both give 8610 Roswell Road for River Springs Shopping Center. The 8830 address belongs to North River Shopping Center, which is now part of a much bigger story further up the road.
What already stands on this stretch of Roswell Road
The Night Market doesn't land in an empty corridor. A few north-end restaurants already serve evening customers, and one shares the market's parking lot.
| Address | Name | Status, as of the most recent report |
|---|---|---|
| 8610 Roswell Road, Suite 140 | Crave Kitchen & Bistro, Turkish and Mediterranean | Reported open; article updated March 27, 2026 |
| 8610 Roswell Road | Sandy Springs Night Market at River Springs Shopping Center | Final 2026 date is Thursday, November 5, 5 to 8 p.m. |
| 8347 Roswell Road | Arabian Cafe & Cocktails, Middle Eastern | Reported open by July 30, 2026 |
| 8830 Roswell Road | North River Shopping Center | Demolition of the former bowling alley seen August 19, 2026; redevelopment planned |
Crave Kitchen & Bistro has a clear advantage. On market nights, the vendor tents and its dining room sit at the same shopping-center address. Arabian Cafe & Cocktails, which Rough Draft Atlanta reported open by the end of July, is a short way south at 8347 Roswell Road.
These are the pieces of north-end evening life that exist today. The bigger pieces are still plans.
The bigger pieces are still on paper
On August 19, 2026, an AJC photographer captured crews tearing down a former bowling alley at North River Shopping Center. The AJC described the late-1970s strip mall as having spent most of the past decade more than half empty. The day before, the city announced incentives for Woodfield Development's proposed North River redevelopment at 8830 Roswell Road. The plan calls for 336 multifamily residences, 85 for-sale townhomes, retail and restaurants, and a 0.71-acre public park to be deeded to the city.
Rough Draft Atlanta's coverage adds detail about the park. The developer would build 70 parking spaces open to residents visiting the park, and the city would own the land. The city's economic development director, Chris Burnett, explained why the park and restaurants were designed together:
"I think we hear from so many of our families that they want restaurants where they can sit with their kids and relax while the kids are playing and they're waiting on their table to free up. And this project exactly does that."
That quote describes evenings on the north end the city expects in the future, and the timeline is still conditional. Rough Draft reported that the plan depended on Woodfield closing on the 13-acre site by the end of September, with construction to begin later in 2026 "if all goes smoothly." No report so far confirms that the closing happened. Reports also disagree on the project's size. Rough Draft calls it a $150 million project, and the AJC headline says $200 million.
The road connecting these places is also in planning. The city's Roswell Road North End Boulevard project covers Dunwoody Place to Roberts Drive. It includes a raised median, pedestrian lighting, a multi-use path, a sidewalk, a new signal and a connector road. The city logged a design-scope change on January 20, 2026, held a public open house on February 10, and accepted comments through February 24. It's still a design, and work hasn't started on the street.
Taken together, the city is planning a walkable, park-anchored north end with restaurants on a lit boulevard. The Night Market is the one part of that plan anyone can try this fall, and it lasts three hours on one more Thursday.
A Thursday evening built from what exists now
Anyone who wants to try the north end's evening offering before the pilot ends can build a full evening around November 5 using only places that are open today.
- Start at the river. The city describes the existing 1.88-mile Springway/Morgan Falls Connector as linking Morgan Falls Overlook Park to Roswell Road at Cimarron Parkway, with access to the river. In early November, a late-afternoon walk needs an early start.
- Shop the market at River Springs. The market opens at 5 p.m. at 8610 Roswell Road. The city mentions prepared dinners, seasonal produce, artisan goods, and "the perfect last-minute hostess gift." With Thanksgiving three weeks after November 5, that last item fits the timing.
- Sit down for dinner nearby. Crave Kitchen & Bistro is in the same center at Suite 140. Arabian Cafe & Cocktails is at 8347 Roswell Road.
- Look up the road at North River. The demolition site at 8830 Roswell Road shows where the planned park and restaurants would go.
A longer trail is also under discussion. In June, Rough Draft reported that a 1.6-mile Morgan Falls Loop, Springway Segment 2C, was still seeking funding, with city council consideration expected before the end of the year. For now, the 1.88-mile connector is the trail that exists.
City Green keeps the weekends
The north-end test runs on weeknights partly because City Green's calendar is full on weekends. The Sandy Springs Farmers Market runs at City Green on Saturdays, October 10, 17, 24 and 31. The Sandy Springs Wine Festival returns to City Green on Sunday, October 11. It has a Reserve Tasting from 2 to 3:15 p.m. and General Tasting from 3 to 5 p.m., with local food partners including Bishoku, Bocado, il Giallo and Tre Vele. OktoberFEAST follows on October 17 and 18, from 3 to 7 p.m. both days. Admission is free, tent seating is open to everyone, and the Swinging Bavarians provide the music. The city's page says the 2026 food lineup will be announced once details are final.
Those events show what the city center already supports. The Night Market asks a different question about the opposite end of Roswell Road. River Springs Shopping Center, 8610 Roswell Road, Thursday, November 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. is the last scheduled answer for 2026.
Big projects like the North River redevelopment and the boulevard plan tend to change how people value the streets around them, even before construction starts. The Frye Team follows these north-end changes closely, from what's open on Roswell Road today to what's still only planned. If you own a home in Sandy Springs and want to know where yours stands as these plans move forward, start with an instant home valuation and we'll be glad to talk it through.