The Atlanta Track Club and Atlanta Journal-Constitution will add a celebrity twist to next year’s AJC Peachtree Road Race T-Shirt design contest.
Instead of opening up the coveted T-shirt contest to Atlanta’s top graphic designers, the T-shirt designs will be conceptualized by some well-known Atlantans, including Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who have significant ties to the AJC Peachtree Road Race.
“With more than 60,000 runners from all backgrounds, the AJC Peachtree Road Race is the embodiment of the spirit of One Atlanta,” Bottoms said. “Although I have never come close to winning a road race, I proudly accept the challenge of working with a winning design team to create the 50th AJC Peachtree Road Race T-shirt.”
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Bottoms and her design team will compete against T-shirt curators from the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, New York Times best-selling author Emily Giffin and AJC Peachtree Road Race legend Jeff Galloway, who won the first-ever Peachtree Road Race.
The five designs will be revealed in February, and the public will choose their favorite design. The online voting in March will decide which design team's artwork will be featured on the T-shirts for the more than 60,000 runners and walkers on July 4th. The Atlanta Track Club will donate $5,000 to the winning designer's favorite charity.
Here’s a little background on the other design curators and their teams:
Emily Giffin: The New York Times bestselling author of "Something Borrowed" and "All We Ever Wanted" runs the race with her husband and her kids each year, so Giffin said she is "thrilled" to play a role in the 50th annual AJC Peachtree Road Race.
“I love how the entire community comes together for this amazing event and hope to create a design that reflects that sense of ATL pride!”
Jeff Galloway: The Olympic runner and founder of Phidippides Run store was named named "The Most Recognizable Runner in America" by RunningUSA. With the help of his son Brennan, Galloway said he hoped he could design a shirt that would uphold the legacy of the AJC Peachtree Road Race.
“ I want the 50th anniversary design to reflect Peachtree history, and how the race has become a symbol of empowerment for Atlanta and the hundreds of thousands who have participated.”
The Atlanta Braves: For the past two years, Braves staff and fans have volunteered at a water stop on the Peachtree course. Now, those staff members hope that the Fourth of July tradition for many of participating in the race and attending a Braves game will be further cemented with the signature 50th anniversary shirt.
“The race unites the city and we are proud to participate in this iconic event. We also hope to see fans wearing our t-shirt design at SunTrust Park when we face the Philadelphia Phillies that night,” Derek Schiller, Atlanta Braves president and CEO, said in a press release.
» Click here to see the AJC Peachtree Road Race T-shirt through the years «
The Atlanta Hawks: Harry the Hawk has always been the first one off the start line at the Atlanta Hawks Fast Break 5K, presented by Sharecare. The colorful, dunking character plans to bring his bravado and creative juices to the T-shirt design. Winning the design contest would be especially significant to Harry and his team, since like the AJC Peachtree Road Race, the Hawks will also celebrate its 50th season in 2019.
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