Atlanta Festivals
2021 Atlanta Festivals
Contents
- Atlanta Festivals
- 2021 Atlanta Festivals
- MLK Day
- Winter Beer Festival
- Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
- Black History Month Parade
- Atlanta Fair
- Atlanta United Block Party
- Atlanta Fermentation Fest
- Atlanta St. Patrick’s Parade
- Atlanta Film Festival
- Atlanta Dogwood Festival
- Grilled Cheese Fest
- SweetWater 420 Fest
- Inman Park Festival
- Shaky Knees
- Shaky Beats
- Atlanta Jazz Festival
- Atlanta Food and Wine Festival
- Momocon
- Modern Atlanta Design is Human Week
- Juneteenth Atlanta
- National Black Arts Festival
- Peachtree Road Race
- Ice Cream Festival
- JCT's Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival
- Comic Con
- Decatur Book Festival
- Dragon Con
- Grant Park Summer Shade Festival
- Piedmont Park Summer Arts Festival
- WRFG's Labor Day Blues and BBQ
- Music Midtown
- Imagine Music Festival
- Pride Parade/Festival
- Taste of Atlanta
- Little Five Points Halloween Festival and Parade
- A3C Hip-Hop Festival
- Netherworld Haunted House
- Chomp and Stomp Chili Cook-Off Festival
- Indie Craft Experience Holiday Shopping Spectacular
- Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
- The Peach Drop
- Atlanta Festivals Past
If you are looking for festivals by type, see our pages on Music Festivals, art festivals, food festivals, and film festivals. Throughout the year, many neighborhoods host intimate and special neighborhood festivals. Not to be overlooked, uniquely Atlanta festivals like Dragon Con, the Dogwood Festival and other cultural festivals make Atlanta special.
MLK Day
The celebration of civil rights hero and Atlanta native, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., takes place annually on the Monday following King's birthday. The day starts with a commemorative service at Ebenezer Baptist Church and continues with a march through Downtown along Auburn Avenue that ends at the King Center. www.thekingcenter.org
Winter Beer Festival
This two-day beer extravaganza features more than 300 brews and is overflowing with vendors set up in heated tents. In addition to pours of local and national beers, expect live music, food trucks, and other assorted vendors. www.atlantawinterbeerfest.com
Atlanta Winter Beer Fest Article
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is a nearly monthlong cinematic celebration of the Jewish community. Founded in 2000, AJFF ranks as the largest film festival in Atlanta, and second-largest Jewish film festival in the United States, featuring an international collection of narrative and documentary films that explore the Jewish experience. In addition to the film screenings, enjoy guest appearances with filmmakers, actors, authors, academics, and other expert speakers. www.ajff.org
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Article
Black History Month Parade
In celebration of Black History Month, the annual parade features marching bands, entertainers, civic groups, celebrities, artists, entertainment, and more in Atlanta's historic Sweet Auburn District. www.blackhistorymonthparade.com
Black History Month Parade Article
Atlanta Fair
Atlanta Fair 2021 Festivals
Atlanta United Block Party
To psych up fans for the first Atlanta United home game of the season, Atlanta United is taking over Edgewood for the second annual Atlanta United Block Party. Edgewood will be closed off and swarmed by United supporters, who will get access to special drink specials, giveaways, and raffles all to support their love of the Rowdy and Proud.
Atlanta United Block Party Article
Atlanta Fermentation Fest
Atlanta Fermentation Fest continues its efforts to raise awareness about fermentation, as well as its benefits and history. The festival features lectures, demonstrations, samples, and more, temporarily taking over Cultured South, the first kombucha bar in Georgia, in the Lee + White food and beverage district. www.atlantafermentationfest.com
Atlanta Fermentation Fest Article
Atlanta St. Patrick’s Parade
The city’s longest running event, the Atlanta St. Patrick’s Parade has existed since 1858 and boasts over 2,000 participants, 700 musical acts, 100 parade units, and 80,000 spectators over the course of the parade’s lifespan. Show of your Irish pride as you march through the heart of midtown.atlantastpats.com/
Atlanta St. Patrick’s Parade Article
Atlanta Film Festival
Join the more than 25,000 people who attend the Atlanta Film Festival each year and enjoy a variety of documentaries, shorts, narratives, animated films and more. Now in its fourth decade, the weeklong fest — one of only two-dozen Academy Award-qualifying festivals in the United States — also features in-person dialog with stars and filmmakers. Recent guests have included Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men), Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Ray McKinnon (Rectify), Walton Goggins (The Shield), and Margaret Cho ("Drop Dead Diva").
Atlanta Film Festival Article
| more...
Atlanta Dogwood Festival
Atlanta Dogwood Festival 2021 Arts Agenda, Festivals
Grilled Cheese Fest
Celebrate national grilled cheese day by attending the Atlanta Grilled Cheese Festival and enjoy a mouthwatering assortment of Atlanta’s tastiest food vendors. Restaurants from all over the city will be serving up all sorts of deliciously cheesy dishes to the delight of cheese enthusiasts everywhere. the Atlanta Grilled Cheese Festival will feature free grilled cheese samples, live music, an adult zone and a Bloody Mary Garden (21+).
Atlanta Grilled Cheese Festival Article
SweetWater 420 Fest
One of Atlanta's most eclectic Earth Day celebrations, SweetWater 420 Fest features live music, earth-friendly activities, stand-up comedy, food trucks, SweetWater brews, an artist market, and more. After nearly a decade of playing host to thousands of boozy merry-goers and jam bands in Candler Park, the fest moved to Downtown's Centennial Olympic Park in 2014. SweetWater 420 Fest
Sweetwater 420 Fest Article
Inman Park Festival
Taking place the last full weekend in April each year, the Inman Park Festival is one of Atlanta's most beloved events. Check out the Tour of Homes, live music, dance festival, arts and crafts market, and definitely the parade with all of its gloriously weird floats. www.inmanparkfestival.org
Inman Park Festival Article
Shaky Knees
Arguably one of the best collections of rock, post-punk, and folk music in the country, the Shaky Knees Music Festival has become one of the most popular annual music events in the city. Whether it's the Alabama Shakes or the National, acts new and old are sure to make a stop on the main stage at some point during festival season.
Shaky Knees Music Festival (Cancelled) Article
Shaky Beats
Atlanta’s fledgling electronic and indie festival, returns for its fourth year at Central Park, featuring a weekend chock-full of music, interesting eats, and various on-site activations. With four stages showcasing over 40 acts, the young festival has successfully established itself as a fixture of Atlanta’s festival circuit.
Shaky Beats Music Festival Article
Atlanta Jazz Festival
It's more or less a fact that you can't go wrong with free jazz music. Produced by the city's Office of Cultural Affairs, the Atlanta Jazz Festival is a month-long celebration featuring both established and up-and-coming acts in the genre, culminating Memorial Day weekend with performances in Piedmont Park. From International jazz superstars to local artists looking to make a name for themselves, the fest might be one of the best free tickets in any city.
Atlanta Jazz Festival 2020 Article
Atlanta Food and Wine Festival
The weekend offers a multitude of food and drink experiences showcasing Southern culinary traditions, including learning experiences such as cooking and cocktail classes, tasting seminars, and panel discussions; tasting tents; and dinners and events around the city. www.atlfoodandwinefestival.com
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival Article
Momocon
Immerse yourself in all things anime! Momocon, one of the fastest growing conventions in the country, and features an impressive showcase of animation, comics, video games, and tabletop games for fans of all ages. Come to the four day event dressed as your favorite character, or just enjoy the people watching. www.momocon.com
Modern Atlanta Design is Human Week
This annual architecture and international design event features installations, talks, films, exhibits, cocktail parties, and home tours to highlight innovative design from Atlanta and around the world.www.ma-designishuman.com
Atlanta Design Festival Article
Juneteenth Atlanta
Commemorating the end of slavery, Junteenth Atlanta celebrates the liberation of enslaved African Americans with its 7th annual parade and music festival. Come mark the momentous historical event with, family, friends, tunes and food! www.juneteenthatl.com
Juneteenth Atlanta Article
National Black Arts Festival
At its peak in the mid '90s, the NBAF was an international destination, an annual must-go to celebrate art of the African diaspora. Over the last few decades, attendance and programming have had their highs and lows. And, more recently, it's experienced unsteady leadership. But the annual event persists, hosting an artists market and usually a high-profile headliner or two. www.nbaf.org
National Black Arts Festival Article
Peachtree Road Race
From its humble beginnings in 1970 as a group of 110 runners, the Peachtree Road Race has grown into the world's largest 10K. Every July 4, more than 50,000 participants line up for the 6.2-mile haul to the finish line and a coveted Peachtree Road Race T-shirt. Spectators, radio stations, and restaurants line the roadway to cheer on runners and walkers with music, beer, and water. www.peachtreeroadrace.org
Peachtree Road Race Article
Ice Cream Festival
Soak up the summer sun surrounded by friends, fitness, and, most important of all, ice cream! The Atlanta Ice Cream Festival is back for its 9th year to bring together live music, health and wellness activities, and America’s favorite summer treat right in the middle of Piedmont Park. Enjoy a frosty treat and then a stimulating work-out by participating in Zumba, Yoga, Tai Chi, or line dancing. And while you’re there, you might as well enjoy a free wellness screening. www.atlantaicecreamfestival.com/about/
Atlanta Ice Cream Festival Article
JCT's Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival
Bask in the glory of summertime's favorite fruit that tastes like a vegetable at JCT's Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival. The city's best chefs are paired with a local farmer to create tomato-inspired dishes, while Atlanta's best bartenders come up with creative cocktails featuring — you guessed it — tomatoes. At the end of the day, judges and festival attendees choose the best tomato dish and drink. ww.killertomatofest.com/
Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival Article
Comic Con
Comic Con 2021 Festivals
Decatur Book Festival
As the largest independent book festival in the country, attendees can mingle with 300 world-class authors at book signings, readings, and soirées. Past keynote speakers have included former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey and Congressman/civil rights icon John Lewis. The keynote is free, but tickets go quickly. There are tracks for young adult books, cookbooks, political nonfiction, experimental poetry ... basically everything. This annual Labor Day weekend event is the biggest and most popular book event of the year, every year.
AJC Decatur Book Festival Article
Dragon Con
Trekkies, steampunks, zombies, filkers, furries, goths, Klingons, Sleestaks, Predators, Aliens, and more descend on Downtown for the Southeast's largest sci-fi con. Come dressed as your favorite character from any number of sci-fi, horror, or fantasy films, comics, video games, etc. When it comes to Dragon Con, the wilder the better. The one Dragon Con must-see is the annual parade along Peachtree Street. Huge crowds 10-people deep line up super early to watch the Stormtroopers, Slave Leias, Dark Knight-era Jokers, and more strut up Atlanta's main thoroughfare.
Dragon Con 2020 Article
Grant Park Summer Shade Festival
Stay shady in a good way at the Grant Park Summer Shade Festival. The giant beech, maple, and oak trees that live in Grant Park create just enough shade to keep everyone at the festival comfortably cool. Featuring a bountiful artists market, several stages for live music, and a diverse mix of fair food and local food trucks, the Shade Festival is the culmination of everything great about summertime in a city of trees.
Grant Park Summer Shade Festival Article
Piedmont Park Summer Arts Festival
Want to step out of a museum this summer and into a local gallery? Join in what Sunshine Artist Magazine named one of the top 100 Arts Festivals in the nation, the Piedmont Park Summer Arts Festival. This two day event is presented by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces with a focus on visual arts. Over two hundred painters, photographers, sculptors, and visual artists will be displaying their galleries across the park, and will be joined by acoustic live music and plenty of eats. piedmontparkartsfestival.com/
Piedmont Park Arts Festival Article
WRFG's Labor Day Blues and BBQ
Typically hosted at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park, this annual fundraiser for local community radio station WRFG is a celebration of the Blues in Atlanta.
WRFG Annual Labor Day Blues BBQ Music and Nightlife, Festivals
Music Midtown
Music Midtown once reigned supreme as the festival in the ATL — period. After a brief hiatus in the early 2000s, Music Midtown has made a slow and steady comeback, and still gets the good folks of the city excited even though the production has been scaled back to less acts and one day shorter than the three-day extravaganza it once was. You could travel over to Tennessee for Bonnaroo or seriously dent the bank account heading out to Coachella, but you'll find lineups offering the same music diversity right here in the city.
Music Midtown 2019 Article
Imagine Music Festival
The Imagine Music Festival started in 2014 as a modest music festival in Historic Fourth Ward Park and has become one of the nation’s most anticipated EDM gatherings. These days, Imagine calls the Atlanta Motor Speedway near rural Hampton, Georgia its home. Over the years, the festival has more than doubled in attendance and scope, while remaining independent, which founders Glenn and Madeleine Goodhand say “allows for the creative freedom to build that vision of the Aquatic Fairytale each year.”
Imagine Music Festival Article
Pride Parade/Festival
The annual Atlanta Pride Festival, the largest Pride event in the Southeast and the largest event in the country to coincide with National Coming Out Day, celebrates all things LGBT. The festival weekend is jam-packed with a kickoff party and the annual Pride Parade, as well as arts, vendors, parties, and other festivities.
50th Annual Atlanta Pride Festival & Parade 2020 Article
Taste of Atlanta
Foodies and chefs alike gather in Historic Fourth Ward Park to experience the cuisine and drinks of the city for one delicious weekend. Taste of Atlanta features over 80 local restaurants and three live cooking stages, offering samples for the average consumer and educational workshops for professionals.Taste of Atlanta (Cancelled) Article
Little Five Points Halloween Festival and Parade
Little 5 Points Halloween Festival and Parade 2020 Festivals
A3C Hip-Hop Festival
An acronym for All Three Coasts, the A3C Hip-Hop Festival features arguably the largest collection (500-plus performances) of hip-hop acts in the country. Expanding exponentially every year since its 2005 inception, A3C is a fusion of good music, education, art, film, style, and industry panels. If every hipster music lover travels to Austin for SXSW, hitting up ATL for A3C is a hip-hop head's obligation.A3C Festival and Conference 2021 Article
Netherworld Haunted House
Regarded as one of Atlanta’s top haunted houses, Netherworld transforms a warehouse-like building just outside the Perimeter into a den of horrors that continues to scare metro Atlantans year after year with elaborately costumed ghouls, special effects, and a labyrinthine layout.
Netherworld Haunted House Article
Chomp and Stomp Chili Cook-Off Festival
Every fall, a chili-hungry crowd descends on Cabbagetown Park for the annual Chomp and Stomp Chili Cook-Off Festival, featuring the Romp and Stomp 5K race, live music, artists market, games, and, of course, copious amounts of chili. There's always tons of the stuff, but this is a popular festival so be sure to get there early before they run out. If you miss out on the chili, food vendors will be on site to make sure no one goes hungry.
Chomp and Stomp Chili Cook-Off Festival 2019 Article
Indie Craft Experience Holiday Shopping Spectacular
The annual market features crafters, artists, and small businesses that produce handmade and indie goods. Everything from seasoned gourmet salts to silk-screened T-shirts and handmade jewelry to original works of art will be for sale. Also catch music, a photo booth, food and drinks, and a swag bag designed by a local artist.
Indie Craft Experience Holiday Shopping Spectacular Article
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is the ninth-oldest bowl game in the country and hosts the longest-running rivalry series between the Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference. Come for the game and hang around for the plethora of events leading up to and after the battle on the gridiron.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Article
The Peach Drop
New York's got the ball, and since 1989 Atlanta has had the peach. On New Year's Eve, thousands of Atlanta residents and tourists descend upon Underground Atlanta to watch the giant peach drop.
Atlanta Festivals Past
Atlanta Festivals 2009 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2008 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2007 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2006 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2005 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2004 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2003 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2002 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2001 Article
Atlanta Festivals 2000 Article
Atlanta Annual Festivals, Holidays and Big Events for 2020