When Atlanta Freaked

Book excerpt: Once upon a time not too long ago, young teens converged on the vibrant thriving city of Atlanta every spring in the bacchanal that was Freaknic. It was a party that grew from one park to eventually stretch the entire breadth of the metro area. The celebration descended on malls, concert halls, parks, college campuses, front lawns, and perhaps most controversially the streets. Over time the main thoroughfares, the roads, the citys arteries became clogged with revelers seeking to see and be seen, do things at best illicit, at worst law breaking. By this time, it had become too much, and as such, the citys officials sought to shut the party down. They quickly succeeded, and Freaknic passed into history. Here we remember the bacchanal, how it started, what it came to be, and how it eventually ended.