What to expect for Springfield in 2026
DID YOU KNOW:
The City of Springfield has a dedicated webpage for First Fridays. The webpage shows what food trucks are coming, as well as listing the planned activities for each First Friday.
The staff at City Hall are making big plans for the upcoming year, including accommodating new events, designing much needed projects, and preparations for the expected regional growth.
If you think you may have missed the January Newsletter, don’t worry – you didn’t miss it. We have been so busy here at City Hall that we decided to skip it and wait for our April update. In this newsletter, we will let you know the big plans that our small city has been up to, and what you can expect to see happening in the coming year.
Don’t forget to check the City Calendar for all the upcoming events in the City of Springfield.
The City has quite a few projects in the works that we are pleased to share. The staff and City Council devoted much of 2025 to planning for the future, focusing on maintaining our sense of place and the unique qualities that make Springfield special to us all. It is important to everyone at the City that we are prepared for growth, but that we plan this growth responsibly. A detailed Capital Expenditure Plan was adopted to be a guide for future spending and projects.
Change is inevitable, while progress is optional. Many changes are expected in the near future for Springfield. Increased development interest in the area will lead to population growth and
increased businesses activity. This will present challenges, but also opportunity.
Ordinances and procedures are continually updated to provide guidelines and regulations to ensure the new development will fit in with the old. Larger populations lead to more infrastructure needs, from wastewater treatment facilities to public park spaces. Here are some things to look out for in 2026:
The Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently under construction with a major upgrade, providing additional sewer capacity for new residents.
Ulmer Park will see new bathroom facilities, with construction schedule to start in May.
Sidewalk projects along First St, Madison St, Zoller Dr, and Laurel St will create a larger pedestrian network.
The Mars Theatre will be receiving some much need roof and foundation work, as well as a parking lot expansion.
Alderman Lane will be a new public roadway in downtown and provide some much needed additional parking for Laurel Street.
MARS THEATRE SPOTLIGHT:
The Historic Mars Theatre is proud to announce Savor the Spotlight: A Mars Legacy Gala, an elegant fundraising event celebrating the enduring impact of The Mars and its role in Springfield’s cultural life since revitalization.
Scheduled for April 25th, 2026, the gala will invite guests to step into an evening of Old Hollywood glamour, complete with curated small bites from local restaurants, live music throughout the night, immersive photo moments, and a special presentation highlighting the theatre’s legacy and future vision. The event will culminate with dancing and a finale performance by the Effingham County Community Orchestra.
The experience is designed as a cocktail-style, roaming event that allows guests to explore the theatre while enjoying rotating musical performances, a lobby art gallery featuring local artists, and a screening of the Mars documentary, followed by brief remarks from community leaders and supporters.
SAVE THE DATE: 11/14/2026
The Springfield Fall Festival is coming back again this year on November 14th. More details to come soon, but we are excited to announce that we will continue our tradition of top tier talent with our 2026 Headliner:
DIAMOND RIO
2026 First Friday Family Nights
MAY 1 / JUNE 5 / AUG 7 / SEPT 4 / OCT 2
City Contacts:
Administration & Council: jsmith@springfieldga.org
Accounts & Billing: billing@springfieldga.org
Police Dept. and Court: dseagroves@springfieldga.org
Public Works: springfield@eomworks.com
Building & Zoning: ephillips@springfieldga.org
City Manager Lauren Eargle: leargle@springfieldga.org
Mayor Ricky Eilerman: reilerman@springfieldga.org
Police Chief James Woodcock: jwoodcock@springfieldga.org
City Calendar
Mars Theatre Legacy Gala
4/25/2026
Fundraiser at the Mars Theatre
Springfield Century Ride
5/9/2026
50K or 100K Bike Ride at Ulmer Park
Effingham Heroes Parade
5/9/2026
Laurel Street at 10:00am
Hero's Rally
5/9/2026
Ulmer Park
OTB Grand Anniversary
5/9/2026
Olde Town Barbers on Laurel St
Low Country Car Show
5/9/2026
Historic Courthouse
City Calendar
View all Public Meetings on our Calendar.
Click the “City Calendar” link in the upper right side of this page menu.
The Planning & Zoning Board generally meets on Monday the week prior to Council at 6:00pm.
The City Council & Mayor regularly meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the Month at 6:00pm.
The Downtown Development Authority generally meets on the third Monday of the Month at 5:30pm.
Meeting Agendas for Planning Board and Council are posted here:
springfieldga.org/agenda-center