That time of the year has arrived — festival season is here. This summer through to the fall, there’s plenty for you, your family and your friends to do. From concerts and music festivals, to pub crawls, beer fests and southern cook-offs, the city of Atlanta has truly got it all. Take a look below at everything that this summer has planned and be sure to mark off the occasions that interest you in your calendar.
Atlanta Dogwood Festival
Event Details: Piedmont Park; August 6-8, 2021
A city staple for over 80 years, the Atlanta Dogwood Festival has something for everyone in the family. It offers live music and a nationally-renowned juried Fine Artist Market that includes sculptures, paintings, pottery, jewelry and photography from artists all around the country. There’s also plenty of fun for the littlest members of the family, with a Kids Village that includes inflatables, arts and crafts and face painting stations.
Atlanta Jazz Festival
Event Details: Piedmont Park, September 5 & 6, 2021
There’s a certain swing in the air come September in Atlanta, with over 100 of the city’s best jazz performers showcasing their talent in venues across the city, before coming together for a huge weekend celebration on Labor Day weekend. As the largest free jazz festival in the country, the Atlanta Jazz Festival draws local and national jazz artists for a groovin’ good time.
Music Midtown
Event Details: Piedmont Park; September 18-19, 2021
Keeping the good times rolling in Piedmont Park is the Music Midtown festival, which features a diverse lineup of over 30 artists across four stages. Whether you prefer to jam out to rock and roll, hip hop, pop, electronic or anything in between, Music Midtown blends together a wide variety of local talent that’ll keep you grooving. The festival also brings together some of the city’s favorite local bites, from corn dogs to gluten-free and vegan options.
Shaky Knees Music Festival
Event Details: Central Park; October 22-24, 2021
Shaky Knees is a rock lover’s dream, with more than 60 bands lighting up the stage at Atlanta’s Central Park. Since it first kicked off in 2013, the festival has featured a diverse lineup of artists that range from The Black Keys to The Strokes. Although, the festival’s good vibrations aren’t the only thing that’ll get your knees knocking — the festival also offers some of the best food in town, from southern-style barbecue to vegetarian-friendly corn dogs and an array of food trucks to choose from.
Atlanta Summer Beer Fest
Event Details: Historic 4th Ward Park; June 12, 2021
Raise your glass to one of the best beer festivals of the summer, the Atlanta Summer Beer Fest. With over 150 types of beer from various Atlanta Breweries, 25+ wine options, ciders, mimosas and hard seltzers, this event is every beverage taster’s dream. Located in the Historic 4th Ward Park, attendees will be able to enjoy live music and a DJ as they sip on their cool refreshments — cheers to that.
Pub Crawl on the BeltLine
Event Details: Atlanta BeltLine; September 4, 2021
Are you thirsty for an experience that you and your friends will be talking about all year long? Atlanta’s Pub Crawl along the BeltLine is here and it’s bigger than ever. The East Side Trail on the Atlanta BeltLine connects you to some of the best restaurants and bars in town, all the way from Inman Park to Piedmont Park. Now it’s your chance to try them all at this pub crawl, offering up to five complimentary beverages along the BeltLine, along with food and drink specials at each location.
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival
Event Details: Historic 4th Ward Park; Sept 9-12, 2021
We hope you’re hungry because Atlanta’s Food & Wine Festival is here and it features home-made recipes, fusion dishes, wines and cocktails. The event showcases more than 250 restaurants, artisans and chefs, and hosts cooking classes for attendees. With more than 90 classes organized to educate and entertain, not only will you be able to indulge in some culinary favorites but you’ll be able to recreate some of them on your own too.
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival
Event Details: Atlantic Station; September 18, 2021
Barbecue season is here and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than at the 9th annual Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival at the Atlantic Station. If you’re looking for an authentic Southern festival to attend, this is it, filled with all the pleasures that true Southerners live by — beer, bourbon, barbecue, bacon, and blue grass. Rock out to your favorite tunes, enjoy seminars from pit masters, master distillers and more, pig out on specialty foods, and enjoy contests on the main stage.
Share your festival adventures with us on Instagram or on Facebook. We’d love to see you jamming out to some music, indulging in some culinary treats or sipping on your favorite beverage — after all, what else is summer for?
Pictures courtesy of: Rove.me (Atlanta Dogwood Festival, Shaky Knees Music Festival, Atlanta Summer Beer Fest); Atlanta Intown (Atlanta Jazz Festival); Urban Nest Atlanta (Pub Crawl on the BeltLine); Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival (Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival); Eater Atlanta (Atlanta Food and Wine Festival).