Atlanta Events and Festivals

(Atlanta, Georgia - GA, USA)

Whatever time of year you decide to visit Atlanta, you won't struggle to find things to do. The city of Atlanta is blessed with an especially lively calendar of events and festivals that encompass a wide variety of themes and genres.

Many of Atlanta's events reflect its multi-ethnic population, including St. Patrick's Day celebrations, August's Latino Festival and a variety of African-American events. Other highlights in Atlanta's calendar include the various film festivals and traditional New Year's celebrations.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Day
• 12th February - Lincoln's Birthday
• Third Monday in February - Washington's Birthday
• Last Monday in May - Memorial Day
• 4th July - Independence Day
• First Monday in September - Labor Day
• Second Monday in October - Columbus Day
• 11th November - Veterans Day
• 4th Thursday in November - Thanksgiving
• 25th December - Christmas Day

Atlanta Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Atlanta Boat Show - held at the Georgia World Congress Center, this annual event presents boating enthusiasts with the chance to view, discuss and learn about the best in boats and boating related products
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Week - in tribute to the greatly revered politician and black rights activist, this event sees seven days of performances, concerts, educational events and religious services
• Callanwolde Arts Festival - a three days indoor event held from the fourth Friday of the month at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center featuring the work of over 80 artists

February

• Southeastern Flower Show - mid-February, as the state's premier horticultural event, visitors can expect to see a variety of garden-related merchandise, as well as photography, landscape and floral exhibitions and talks from local and national speakers
• Black History Month - this month-long event sees activities aimed at promoting and preserving all aspects of African-American history and heritage. Events are spread out at various locations across the city

March

• St. Patrick's Day - March 17th, this annual event sees a giant parade in central Atlanta followed by a wealth of celebrations and Irish related exhibits and lectures
• Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival - this month-long affair held just outside of Atlanta at Conyer's International Horse Park offers a wealth of activities including a beauty pageant, road race and live music throughout
• Atlanta Film Festival - mid-March, this nine-day event showcases the works of both mainstream and independent film directors from around the world. Movies are screened at a variety of locations across the city

April

• Atlanta Spring Home Show - held at the Georgia World Congress Center, this event updates visitors on all that's new in the world of home and garden maintenance and decoration
• Spring Festival on Ponce - biannual free 2 day arts and crafts event located in Olmsted Linear Park
• Atlanta Dogwood Festival - mid-April, held at Piedmont Park, expect to see dog Frisbee championships, hot air balloon racing, a kid's village and a rock-climbing wall
• Georgia Renaissance Festival - mid April to early June, the Renaissance Festival take visitors back in time to medieval England, with a variety of activities and visual feasts including jugglers, minstrels, acrobats and jousting knights. There's also a 15-acre market selling thousands of handicrafts
• Let's get Cookin'! - mid April, expect to see the latest in kitchen and gourmet food products as well as sampling food from the local area and other parts of the US

May

• Fiesta Atlanta - first Sunday of the month at the Centennial Olympic Park. A Cinco de Mayo celebrations with Mexican cuisine, crafts, folk dancing amongst the activities
• Atlanta Celtic Festival - late May, this event pays tribute to the historic and cultural characteristics of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Expect a wide variety of uniquely Celtic displays and activities, as well as opportunities to sample some traditional Celtic cuisine
• Atlanta Jazz Festival - late May; visitors in excess of 100,000 gather to appreciate the works of jazz greats such as Charlie Parker, Fats Domino and
  Louis Armstrong. Held at a variety of venues across the city including Centennial Olympic Park, Underground Atlanta, Churchill Grounds and Piedmont Park
• Notoberfest Beer Festival - visitors gather to appreciate the merits of one of the world's most popular drinks. Sweetwater Brewing and the East Atlanta Village present nearly a 100 beers for sampling, many from obscure corners of the globe
• Memorial Day Weekend - late May, expect a variety of activities taking place across the city

June

• Music Midtown Festival - mid-June, this festival has been running for over 10 years and encompasses a wealth of musical genres including alternative, classic rock, jazz and blues. Expect to see a variety of internationally famous artists

July

• Independence Day - July 4th celebrations are centered around Atlanta's Peachtree Street and include a parade, fireworks and festive food and drink
• Black Arts Festival - early-July, running for 10 days, this event invites over 1,000 artists from Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas to present black music, literature, art and film

August

• Atlanta Underground Film Festival - a week of underground cinema, visual arts and live music aimed at showcasing the talents of up and coming artists and promoting film as an art form
• Peachtree Latino Festival - late August, expect a range of Latino activities including a parade, live music, costumes, food, international performances and arts and crafts exhibits

September

• Atlanta Greek Festival - Atlanta's Greek community assembles to provide the city with a taste of cultural Greece. Visitors can sample traditional Greek food including souvlaki, gyros and baklava, while live music plays and Greek dancing is conducted
• Atlanta Pumpkin Festival - held at Stone Mountain Park, this festival pays tribute to the humble but versatile pumpkin. Activities include pie-eating contests, pumpkin bowling and the Pumpkin Princess Parade
• Sandy Springs Festival - mid-September, this annual event is a community affair attracting in excess of 20,000 people. The festival aims to preserve the history and heritage of the area and its residents
• Fiesta Georgia - held at the Georgia International Horse Park on a Sunday late September. Starts off the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration

October

• Latin America Film Festival - held at the Woodruff Art Center; expect screenings of a variety of Hispanic movie features
• Hispanic Achievement Business Leadership Awards (HABLA) - Celebration of the Latino business community's successes, the final event of Hispanic Heritage Month
• Scottish Festival and Highland Games - held at Atlanta's Stone Mountain Park, this annual event see a range of activities paying tribute to Scottish heritage and culture; expect to see folk dancing, parades and athletic events accompanied by traditional Scottish bagpipe music
• Atlanta Pride - mid-October, two days of events, festivities, speeches and lectures aimed at the city's gay and lesbian community and including a parade and rally
• Fall Festival on Ponce - biannual free two-day arts and crafts event located in Olmsted Linear Park
• Harvest Moon Bluesfest - held at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, this three-day event is Georgia's premier blues festival. Visitors can hear live blues performances while enjoying a variety of food and drink

November

• Chastain Park Arts Festival - early-November, this free 2 day event transforms the park into an outdoor gallery displaying work by around 200 local and regional artists
• Atlanta Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) - held at Atlantic Station. Started in 2010 this is a Mexican celebration to remember dead loved ones. Unfortunately, the fourth annual festival was cancelled
• Annual Atlanta Veterans Day Parade and Freedom Ball - 2nd Saturday in November. The parade route occurs downtown near Centennial Olympic Park whilst the ball is held at the Oceans Ballroom in the Georgia Aquarium
• Annual Pow Wow and Indian Festival - early-November, this event presents visitors with a variety of aspects of Native American culture. Take a walk through the living history tipi village where demonstrations of Indian practices, such as pottery making, flint napping, hide scraping and brain tanning, take place. Tribal groups also compete in traditional dancing competitions for cash prizes
• Out on Film Festival - mid-November, this festival aims to showcase and promote movie features with gay and lesbian themes or which have been directed by gay or lesbian directors. Films include both American and international features

December

• Annual Festival of Trees - early December, this nine-day charity event sees some of Atlanta's finest designers assemble to festively decorate over 200 of the city's trees
• Peach Bowl Parade - held on New Year's Eve, this famous parade is a must-see spectacle featuring beautifully decorated floats, classic cars and music, with over 30 bands performing. The parade starts at Peachtree Street and finishes at the Georgia World Congress Center
• FirstNight Atlanta New Year's Eve Festival - December 31st - thousands turn up to attend Atlanta's massive end of year party which features spectacular fireworks as well as live music and performances from local artists