Covington's streets transform for filming: Traffic control and road closures announced

COVINGTON, Ga. - Covington’s long-standing role as one of Georgia’s most filmed cities continues on Wednesday, July 9, as production crews return to shoot scenes for an ongoing project. 

The work will bring intermittent traffic control and road closures throughout the day, though nearby businesses will remain open, officials said.

Covington street closures due to filming

What we know:

Filming is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., weather permitting, according to the City of Covington. Specific maps and notices will be posted closer to the filming date, but two key areas will be affected:

Floyd Street at East Street, from noon to 4 p.m., will experience intermittent traffic control between Lyda Lane and Anderson Street. East Street will be closed from Floyd Street to the Cricket Frog Trail, and work trucks will occupy parking along College Avenue, East Street, and Floyd Street. 

(City of Covington)

The Square near Mystic Grill, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., will also see traffic interruptions. Parking in front of, behind, and across from Mystic Grill will be blocked off, with intermittent traffic control on Clark Street between Pace and Hunter streets.

While set construction and preparations will begin earlier in the week, no additional closures are expected during setup. "Businesses will be open on the Square," city officials emphasized.

What we don't know:

The production returning to Covington has previously filmed multiple seasons in the city. "Welcome back to this production who has called Covington home for multiple seasons and thank you to our citizens for their patience and flexibility during filming," the city said in a statement, but did not specify which production.

(City of Covington)

History of Covington in TV and film

Local perspective:

Located about 35 miles east of Atlanta, Covington has earned its nickname as the "Hollywood of the South." Since the 1950s, more than 200 film and TV productions have shot in Covington and Newton County, capitalizing on the town’s Greek Revival homes, antebellum architecture, and iconic courthouse square.

Major productions include The Dukes of Hazzard, which filmed its first five episodes in the city in 1979, and In the Heat of the Night, which ran from 1988 to 1995. The city also appeared in Remember the Titans, Footloose (2011), Sweet Home Alabama, Selma, Doctor Sleep, Pretty Little Liars, Dumplin’ and Sweet Magnolias.

Perhaps most famously, Covington stood in for the fictional Mystic Falls in The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017). The square’s clock tower and central storefronts became landmarks for fans, spurring "Mystic Falls" walking tours and the development of the Mystic Grill restaurant. The Covington Welcome Center even houses a dedicated Film & History Museum.

Georgia’s robust tax credits and studio expansion have made it one of the nation’s top filming destinations, contributing an estimated $3.1 billion to the state’s economy in the last fiscal year. That has fueled film-driven tourism in Covington, where fans frequently visit filming sites and boost the local economy.

What's next:

With the return of filming next week, Covington once again takes its place in front of the camera—continuing a decades-long legacy that has made this small town a big star on screen.

Filming cleanup will take place on July 10 and will impact multiple parking spots.