Atlanta Area Calendar of Events

March

Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival

Month of March. A month long calendar of events including a road race, beauty pageant, music and more. Festival Day is usually the third or fourth Saturday of March. (International Horse Park, Conyers).

St. Patrick's Day

March 17th.Watch the St. Patty's Day parade through downtown Atlanta while enjoying green beer and Irish stew. (Downtown Atlanta).

April

Easter Sunrise Services

Easter Sunday. A gathering of the faithful on top of Stone Mountain in the predawn darkness of Easter Sunday. A long standing tradition in Atlanta. (Stone Mountain Park).

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Mid April. Events include hot-air balloon race, dog frisbee championships, concerts and children's parades. (Peidmont Park).

Georgia Renaissance Festival

Late April - Late May. Open seven consecutive weekends. Events include Knights jousting on horseback, strolling musicians, minstrels and other costumed characters. (Fairburn).

May

Georgia Renaissance Festival

Late April - Late May. Open seven consecutive weekends. Featuring jousting knights on horseback, strolling Minstrels and costumed characters. (Fairburn).

Laser Show

Early May through Labor Day. Watch a nightly laser show accompanied by music on the face of Stone Mountain, a natural million-square-foot screen. (Stone Mountain Park).

Midtown Music Festival

Early May. Outdoor festival features musicians performing on six stages. (Atlanta)

Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour, May7-8, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

Atlanta Botanical Garden
1345 Piedmont Avenue
Tel: 404-876-5859
The annual Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour on Mother's Day weekend is sure to impress connoisseurs and novices alike, as some of Atlanta's most beautiful private gardens are open to the public. The Tour puts on display great design and planting ideas from Atlanta's most talented gardeners and landscape architects. Ticket prices are $25 for all gardens ($20 in advance) or $10 for one individual garden.

Atlanta Jazz Festival

Memorial Day weekend. Features local and national jazz talent. (Grant Park)

Atlanta Peach Caribbean Festival

Memorial Day weekend. Come celebrate the Caribbean culture with a parade, parties, art shows, performers and a soccer tournament. (various locations)

Decatur Arts Festival

Memorial Day weekend. Includes art exhibits, children's festival, pony rides, international music and dance. (Decatur town square and other locations).

Taste of the South

Memorial Day weekend. Southern States showing off their best food and entertainment offerings. (Stone Mountain Park).

Sweet Auburn Springfest - Annually in May.

Auburn Avenue
Tel: 404-886-4496
The 20th annual celebration in the Sweet Auburn historic district features an arts and crafts market, food, area vendors, a classic car show, a literary festival, live music, and women's, seniors' and health pavilions. Call for more information.

June

Laser Show

Early May through Labor Day. Watch a nightly laser show accompanied by music on the face of Stone Mountain, a natural million-square-foot screen. (Stone Mountain Park).

Screen on the Green, June 3-July 1: Thursdays

Piedmont Park
The Meadow
10th Street at Monroe Drive
Tel: 404-878-2600
Turner Classic Movies sponsors this series of free films in Piedmont Park. Bring a blanket or low lawn chairs, pack a picnic and settle down on the grass to a classic flick like "The Birds" or "Grease" on a drive-in-size screen. On June 2, Tony Curtis introduces "Some Like It Hot."

Virginia Highland Summerfest, June 4-5th

Virginia-Highlands Neighborhood
855 Virginia Ave N.E.
Tel: 404-222-8244
Summerfest celebrates the beginning of summer with diverse arts, great food, live musical performances and much more. The festival takes place along Virginia Avenue, in the heart of historic Virginia-Highland. Recently voted the "Best Neighborhood Festival" in Creative Loafing and consistently revered by art professionals as one of the best artists' markets in the southeast, Summerfest is a great event for the entire family. Make sure you stick around and explore the unique shopping and eclectic dining throughout the Virginia-Highland neighborhood. Admission is free, donations are greatly appreciated.

Georgia Shakespeare Festival

Mid June. Various Shakespeare productions going on through October. (Oglethorpe University).

Arts Festival of Atlanta

Mid June. This nine-day event features vendors from around the United States selling jewelry, arts and crafts. Also featuring dance performances and concerts. (Centennial Park, Woodruff Park and other venues).

July

Laser Show

Early May through Labor Day. Watch a nightly laser show accompanied by music on the face of Stone Mountain, a natural million-square-foot screen. (Stone Mountain Park).

Atlanta Virtuosi's Hispanic Festival of the Arts

Late June - Early July. Arts Festival by hispanic speaking people of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Panama, Peru and other nations. (Atlanta Cuban Club).

Fantastic Fourth Celebration. 4th of July

A four day party with concerts and nightly fireworks. (Stone Mountain Park).

Independence Day 4th of July.

Enjoy live music, food, drink, and entertainment for the kids along with a huge display of fireworks. (Lenox Square).

Independence Day

Early July. A delightful display of fireworks after the Brave's Game. (Turner Field).

Peachtree Road Race, 4th of July

Peachtree Road from Piedmont Ave. to Charles Allen Drive
Tel: 404-231-9064
What better way to mark July in Georgia than with a 10K run on blisteringly hot pavement? The 55,000 who get their entry forms in fast enough think it's perfect. A good portion of the rest of the city comes out to cheer on the runners. $25 entry fee.

August

Laser Show

Early May through Labor Day. Watch a nightly laser show accompanied by music on the face of Stone Mountain, a natural million-square-foot screen. (Stone Mountain Park).

September

Montreaux Atlanta International Music Festival

Early September. Outdoor festival featuring jazz, blues, country and other types of music. (Piedmont Park).

Atlanta Greek Festival

Early September. Celebration of Greek culture. Enjoy Greek music, dancing and food such as souvlaki gyros and baklava. (Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation).

58th Annual Yellow Daisy Festival

Thursday - Sunday after Labor Day

This event named after the Confederate Yellow Daisy, also known as the Stone mountain Yellow Daisy, is one of the top places to find crafts and folk art in the United States. Most exhibitors come from the Southeast to display their wares and thousands of people attend this event each year. People not only come for the crafts but for the local food, entertainment or to listen to some of the regional bands play bluegrasss, country or rock and roll.

October

4th Annual Pumpkin Festival:

Oct 6-29.

A family event for everyone to enjoy. Ride the Pumpkin Express Train, participate in the contest that are held at the festival like Pumpkin Bowling, The pumpkin Pie eating contest, see the largest talking pumpkin tree, and enjoy the arts and crafts of the season.

Hoedown Hayride

Oct 7,14,21,28

During the Pumpkin Festival enjoy a Hoedown Hayride every Saturday night. Enjoy a tractor hayride from Crossroads before heading in for a bonfire picnic and a bluegrass music performance.

34th Annual Highland Games

Oct 21-22

The annual highland games is the day that thousands of Scotts get together to celebrate two full days of Scottish fun. Some of the events that take place involve bagpipes, piping and drumming, Scottish harping, and Scottish country dancing demonstrations. The highlights are the clan challenge athletic events and the Parade of the Tartans.

Laser Show. Weekends

Watch a laser show accompanied by music on the face of Stone Mountain-- a natural million-square-foot screen. (Stone Mountain Park).

Georgia Renaissance Festival

Weekends. Featuring jousting knights on horseback, strolling minstrels and costumed characters. Also visit the Haunted Castle. (Fairburn).

Oktoberfest. Late October

This is the place to come to celebrate Oktoberfest, with "oom-pah-pah" music and beer. This town is 70 miles northeast of Atlanta but well worth the drive. Its facade resembles a Bavarian village with lots of shops and restaurants. (Helen, Georgia).

Scottish Festival and Highland Games

October. A celebration of Scottish heritage. Enjoy parades, folk dancing, bagpipe music and athletic events. (Stone Mountain Park).

November

Stone Mountain Christmas

Nov 11- December 30

Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta host the Stone Mountain Christmas every year, were families come together and share the spirit of the season, see the fireworks show, enjoy the snow, and enjoy the Christmas story told on the train. Live holiday shows and millions of light displays for everyone to enjoy.

Holiday Celebration

Late November - nightly. Enjoy horse drawn carriages, music, and a holiday laser show. More than two million lights are shining throughout the park. (Stone Mountain Park).

December

Festival of Trees

A well known tradition in Atlanta, the Festival of Trees is a charity event that takes place in December to benefit Children's Health Care of Atlanta. Visitors stroll through 154,000 square feet of decorated trees created by the city's top artists and designers.

The Nutcracker

Early December through Christmas. The Atlanta Ballet's annual production with a full orchestra. (The Fox Theater on).

Atlanta Botanical Garden Country Christmas

First Sunday in December. Entertainment, dancing, storytelling and a visit from Santa Claus at this holiday decorated garden and conservatory. (The Prado on Piedmont Avenue).

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concerts

December. A program of holiday favorites with an orchestra and singers. (Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center on Peachtree Street).

Christmas at Callanwolde

Early December. Come tour the 27,000-square foot festively decorated mansion, which was the former home of the eldest son of the Coca-Cola founder. Listen to holiday music played on the 3,752 pipe, 20,000-pound organ. (Callanwolde Mansion).

Peach Bowl Parade

Late December. A parade preceding the College Peach Bowl football game honoring the contenders. Clowns, floats, baton groups and high school marching bands from around the United States. (Downtown Atlanta Streets).

Firstnight Atlanta

New Year's Eve. An alcohol-free family-oriented New Year's Eve party with music, theater and dance. (Midtown Atlanta Streets).

Atlanta Rings in the New Year New Year's Eve

Welcome the New Year on the plaza at Underground Atlanta. Watch the "Big Peach" drop. (Underground Atlanta).

Ongoing Events

• Centennial Olympic Park
• Georgia Aquarium
• Georgia Dome
• Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta
• Inside CNN Atlanta
• Philips Arena
• Turner Field
• Underground Atlanta
• World of Coca Cola
• Atlanta Zoo