Crowd anxiously awaits the Peach Drop countdown

ATLANTA - Tens of thousands of people swarmed downtown Atlanta for the iconic Peach Drop celebration. It returned for the first time this year since 2019.

While patrons were excited for musical performances from headliner Jermaine Dupri and friends, it was clear who the real star of the show was: The giant peach waiting to be dropped.

Underground Atlanta was the place to be Saturday for the countdown to midnight.

"I'm excited though because it's my first time here and my first time in Downtown Atlanta," one audience member said.

It has been a long time coming after the fan-favorite event was canceled for the past three years in a row.

"I always see it on TV. So now that you can see it in person, it's exciting," another audience member said. "It's my first time, and I'm definitely excited."

Peach Drop 2023 (FOX 5 Atlanta)

Part of the fun was in the food. Vendors served up all sorts of good eats to keep partiers fed while the music kept them entertained.

Throughout the night, security for the event was tight. Patrons had to pass through metal detectors to get in. The City of Atlanta told FOX 5 they did not anticipate any issues.

Just in time for peach to drop, the rain cleared out leaving a perfect December night for the thousands of revelers.

"It's great that it has been brought back. I mean look at the weather, everything is cooperating, you can't beat it," an audience member told FOX 5.