50+ Best Festivals in Atlanta: Spring and Summer

NOTE: Many of our spring festivals have been cancelled or postponed due to restrictions again in 2021, although some are happening with mask requirements. Please make sure to check our links to their websites for specifics this year.

The South is known for fun, which is why some of the most popular events are festivals in Atlanta.

We’ve got the perfect list of festival fun for your spring and summer, with dates, places and hints about their family-friendliness. Take note of those marked with “365 Favorite!“ as it notates the festivals we love the most!

Whether you’re in the mood for a food festival, live entertainment, or lounging in the sun with a few thousand of your closest friends…with kids or without…we’ve got your best bets below.

March | April | May | June | July | August

March Festivals

St Patricks Day Parade

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Midtown| 🏆 365 Favorite

The popular Atlanta St. Patrick’s Parade, an Atlanta favorite for the past 135 years, returns to the streets of Midtown in 2022. The parade steps off at noon at the intersection of Peachtree and 15th street and continues down Peachtree to 5th Street. More than 2,000 dancers, musicians, llamas and Irish and local dignitaries are expected to march this year. The parade will feature one of the world’s largest Irish “walking flags,” a large flag carried — or, more accurately, worn — by dozens of participants.

Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Brookhaven

Coinciding with the timing of the Cherry Blossom Festival in both Macon and Washington D.C., this event takes place over Easter weekend. Be sure to bring your four-legged friends to the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival for a “doggone” good time at the Pet Parade. Live music, children’s village and and arts & crafts marketplace.

Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

🌎 More Information | 📍Atlanta

After the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival wraps on February 28, there is still one last show for you to enjoy in March -- the 2021 Awards Show! Join them on Wednesday, March 10, for a presentation of the Jury Prize and Audience Award winners. Best of all, the show is entirely free to enjoy!

Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival

🌎 More Information | 🍹 21+ Only| 📍Dad's Garage, Old Fourth Ward

Formerly BaconFest, what is now known as the Big Stupid Parking Lot Carnival is held at Dad’s Garage’s in Old Fourth Ward. A fixture in the Atlanta community, the kitschy festival combines troughs upon troughs of cold beer and food with hilarious carnival games -- like a hobo wine tasting, naughty face painting, and a drunken spelling bee that is manned by the best improvisers in the city. Selling out every year, all proceeds benefit Dad’s Garage. This is a NO PARKING event.

April Festivals

Atlanta Film Festival

🌎 More Information | 📍 Various Locations

Now celebrating a 40+-year history, the Atlanta Film Festival is the area’s preeminent celebration of cinema. One of only two dozen Academy Award-qualifying events in the country, the Atlanta Film Festival showcases over 200 films annually to nearly 25,000 attendees across a ten-day event each spring. Each year, the Atlanta Film Festival receives nearly 5,000 submissions from 120 countries across the globe.

It has been distinguished as the ‘Best Film Festival’ by Creative Loafing, Sunday Paper, 10Best and Atlanta Magazine, as well as one of the ’25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World’ and one of ’50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee’ by MovieMaker Magazine.

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Note:  The 85^th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival is moving months this year, and is now scheduled to take place in Piedmont Park from Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, 2021. (We wanted to leave it here, too -- just in case you were looking for it!)

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Piedmont Park | 🏆 365 Favorite

The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is the city’s oldest fine arts festival, and it is made possible thanks to the hundreds of superb artists who comprise the Artist Market each year. Every year, they welcome over 200 fine artists from all over the country, including many from the Atlanta area. The Artist Market jurors received more than 1,100 entries this year and selected the top artists in a variety of categories. Be sure to check out the Artist Winners who are literally the best of the best! Don’t miss Family Friday.

Sweetwater 420 Fest

Note: Sweetwater 420 Fest will not be happening in 2021 due to social distancing guidelines, but DOES plan to be back in 2022! Save the dates for SweetWater 420 Fest 2022: April 29 - May 1, 2022.

🌎 More Information | 📍Centennial Olympic Park | 🏆 365 Favorite

SweetWater 420 Fest blends music, entertainment, art and culture, all while respecting Mother Earth and has grown and evolved each and every year since 2004. Yes, 12 years ago this baby was born, at SweetWater Brewery as a small celebration and has evolved to the weekend-long, jam-packed Fest you know and love today at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park.

Albany Music Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Albany

Following the Snickers Marathon and Half Marathon, the Albany Music Festival offers an array of music, food, vendors and fun as visitors and locals alike come together to experience Downtown Albany.

Dogwood Days Antique Show and Sale

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Leslie

Antique show with lots of different antiques for everyone. A variety of antique merchandise from coin collections and Civil War memorabilia to furniture can be purchased at this annual festival. Stop by the tearoom for our famous chicken salad.

Sandy Springs Artsapalooza

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Sandy Springs

The event will include a children’s play area, local musicians, interactive art stations, plus up to 150 arts and crafts participants in every discipline. The festival location is in the heart of Sandy Springs, near interstate access and all things Atlanta.

Inman Park Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Inman Park | 🏆 365 Favorite

During the last full weekend in April each year, Inman Park proudly presents a neighborhood festival widely regarded as Atlanta’s most spirited and eclectic. The Tour of Homes Preview occurs the Friday prior to the festival. Tickets go on sale in March.

Americus Hot Glass Craft Beer Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Americus

Tapping Americus’ rich history of artisan glass blowing and combining it with Georgia’s innovative craft brewing culture, Hot Glass Craft Beer means to bring these two artisan worlds together in one epic event. This event will feature at least 20 regional breweries with three to four different beers from each. There will be glass blowing demonstrations, live music, food vendors, and more! Kids 17 and under are free with a paying adult.

Annual Blue Ridge Trout Fest & Outdoor Adventures

🌎 More Information | 📍Blue Ridge

Fly-tying, fly-casting, casting pond, conservation and more! Visit your favorite vendors including fishing and outdoor gear, pottery, jewelry, clothing and more. Cast the latest fly-fishing rods and reels. Learn about trout fishing in Fannin County with local trout-fishing experts. Discover hiking, kayaking and cycling in Fannin County.

Spring Festival Presented by Wolf Creek Plantation Vineyards & Winery

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Americus

Join the festival for a day full of wine, vineyard and winery tours, shopping through awesome vendors and fun for the whole family. There will be live music and, as always, free tastings, free winery tours and free vineyard tours along with great case discounts.

Everett’s Music Barn Spring Festival

🌎 More Information | 📍Buford

The Historic Everett’s Music Barn annual spring festival & fundraiser. Music starts at noon with an old fashioned, covered dish dinner on the grounds at 5pm…Bring your favorite main, side, or special treat. Raffle drawings between bands.

May Festivals

Renaissance Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Fairburn | 🏆 365 Favorite

There is nothing as magical as the Renaissance Festival -- which continues in May. Food and drink, rides and games, an artisan market, jousting, daredevils, hypnotists and more. Here are 10 reasons you should visit the Georgia Renaissance Festival!

Duluth Arts Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Duluth

The two-day festival will be held in the fun, vibrant, and culturally diverse City of Duluth; recognized as one of the fastest-growing communities in the North Atlanta region and home to one of the largest and most enthusiastic art buying communities. Created for artists by artists, the festival will feature more than 85 painters, photographers, sculptors, metalwork, glass artists, jewelers, and more. Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to view artist demonstrations and enjoy gourmet food trucks, live acoustic music, dance performances, and much more. The festival is free to attend, open to all ages, and dogs are welcome.

Shaky Knees Music Festival

🌎 More Information | 📍Central Park, Atlanta | 🏆 365 Favorite

With 5 stages and more than 75 bands each year, Shaky Knees is a rock-lover’s dream. Since its inception in 2013, Shaky Knees has featured a diverse lineup ranging from world-renowned acts to up-and-coming artists. Shaky Knees is fast emerging as one of the premier mid-sized music festivals in the country. Take it from a music festival pro – these VIP tickets are worth every penny!

Brew at the Zoo

🌎 More Information | 🍹 21+ Only | 📍Zoo Atlanta

Atlanta’s wildest beer festival tradition is back with the return of Brew at the Zoo. Following a hiatus in 2020, the signature event is back on tap with a few updates in place for 2021 only, including four chances to attend this summer. Tickets are now available for the kickoff event on Thursday, May 27, 2021, as well as for Friday, June 25; Friday, July 23; and Friday, August 27.

Brew at the Zoo events will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and reservations are required for all four, as each will have a limited capacity. Back by popular demand are beer sampling from some of Atlanta’s favorite breweries; live music; free carousel and train rides; and evening animal viewing for guests ages 21 and up. All four 2021 events will take place exclusively on the Zoo’s outdoor pathways.

Chattahoochee Valley River Rally

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Hardley Creek Park, Atlanta

Get ready for the annual Chattahoochee Valley River Rally! The Chattahoochee Valley River Rally is a family-friendly, 3-mile paddle trip and community festival where all are invited to celebrate on the riverbank with live music, local food and artisan booths. The kick off with the launch of kayaks, canoes and paddle boards will be at Hardley Creek Park. Paddlers must provide their own boat. Inflatable boats are not allowed.

Chastain Park Arts Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Chastain Park

The Chastain Park Arts Festival will host its annual event at Chastain Park along Park Drive in May. Celebrating its 12th year, the award-winning event will feature 175 artists and artisans painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metal craft artisans, glass blowers, jewelers, and more. Festival-goers are also invited to enjoy live acoustic music, an array of bites and beverages including fare from local food trucks, and take advantage of a fun-filled children’s area. The festival is free to attend, open to all ages, and dogs are welcome. This event is organized by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces and volunteer artists.

Sweet Auburn Springfest

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Historic Auburn Avenue District

The original Sweet Auburn Springfest is one of the largest outdoor festivals in the Southeast, according to the website. It is full of food, fun and entertainment for the whole family. Enjoy a kids fantastic fun zone, and international food court and more. Free.

Kirkwood Spring Fling

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Kirkwood

Get a warm welcome to our neighborhood with all the family-friendly fun of the annual Kirkwood Spring Fling & Tour of Homes. Start the day off with our 5K, stroll through our artists market, catch some live music with a bite to eat from local vendors or our BBQ competition, and let the kids go wild in the kids area. Best of all, admission is free.

MomoCon

🌎 More Information |🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Georgia World Congress Center

MomoCon is one of the fastest growing all ages conventions in the country. Fans of Japanese Anime, American Animation, Comics, Video Games, and Tabletop Games come together to celebrate their passion by costuming / cosplay, browsing the huge exhibitors hall, meeting celebrity voice talent, designers, and writers behind their favorite shows, games, and comics and much much more over this 4 day event. Whether you are an anime fan, gamer, comic reader, or just like watching cartoons, all are welcome at MomoCon! (Coming back in 2022.)

Atlanta Jazz Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Midtown

Memorial Day Weekend festival which includes international, national and local musicians live on three stages; a Kid Zone with activities for all ages; food vendors offering BBQ, burgers, salads, Caribbean foods and much more; booths with clothing, art and jewelry! This is billed as the largest free jazz festival in the US. (Virtual Jazz concerts every day in May 2021.)

Decatur Arts Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Downtown Decatur | 🏆 365 Favorite

Fine art, kids art, an artist market, performing arts, theatre and literary arts…there is something for everyone here all weekend. The Kids Arts Festival kicks off with a parade. Dress up your kids and decorate your strollers, bikes and trikes. Join the parade and show your artistic spirit! After the parade, enjoy arts and crafts, music, balloons, juggling, clowns, inflatables and much more. Most activities are free or for a small donation.

Also, don’t miss the pre-festival events like the Decatur Lantern Parade and the Artwalk, or Sidewalk Saturdays all of May.

Alpharetta Arts StreetFest

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Alpharetta

Alpharetta will explode in full color this Memorial Day Weekend as nearly 100 artists from around the U.S. showcase their imaginative works at Alpharetta Arts Streetfest, May 29 - 30, 2021. The event will take place in a new location at The Grove at Wills Park, the beautiful greenspace behind the Alpharetta Community Center, which offers festival goers plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the incredible artists and vendors. This much anticipated festival will feature live music, cultural arts performances, entertaining children’s activities, and a variety festival cuisine.

June Festivals

Festival on Ponce

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Druid Hills

The ninth annual Spring Festival on Ponce will be held on Saturday, June 5, and Sunday, June 6, 2021, in Atlanta’s historic Olmsted Linear Park. The sister festival to the Fall Festival on Ponce (October 9 and 10, 2021), the Spring Festival on Ponce will transform the park, which was carefully restored by the Olmsted Linear Park Alliance, into an outdoor art gallery to the backdrop of budding spring foliage. The two-day event will feature over 125 displays of local and regional fine art and crafts, utilizing the gorgeous landscape designed by one of America’s most celebrated landscape architects, Fredrick Olmsted, Sr. In addition to the abundance of unique art, there will be a children’s area, gourmet food trucks, beverages and a stage for acoustic musical performances. The event is free, open to all ages, and dogs are welcome.

Roswell Spring Arts and Crafts Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Roswell

The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces is delighted to announce the return of the Roswell Spring Arts and Crafts Festival on Saturday, June 12, and Sunday, June 13, 2021. Located in Historic Roswell, the two-day outdoor event celebrates the city’s rich history and features approximately 100 artists including painters, photographers, sculptors, metalwork, glass artists, jewelers, and more. Event-goers are also invited to dive into bites from gourmet food trucks, enjoy live acoustic music and artist demonstrations along with entertaining music and dance performances. Free to the public, the event is open to all ages and dogs are welcome.

Chattahoochee Nature Center Butterfly Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Roswell

The 22nd Annual Flying Colors Butterfly Festival will delight everyone as we celebrate all things pollinators in June 2021! The Butterfly Festival is an important fundraiser event for CNC. Celebrate pollinators with butterfly school, partner booths, the migration game, native gardens, and the grand opening of the Butterfly Encounter. The Butterfly Festival is a great way to kick off summer for all ages. Advanced, timed tickets required. Masks encouraged, and are required inside.

Suwanee Beer Fest

🌎 More Information | 🍹 21+ Only | 📍Suwanee

Recognized as one of the biggest and best craft beer festival in the Southeast. the Suwanee American Craft Beer Fest attracts people from all over the country to claim their share of unlimited tastings of over 350 craft beers. The event offers live music, games, local food vendors and a home brew contest in Suwanee Town Center Park.

Renaissance Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Fairburn | 🏆 365 Favorite

There is nothing as magical as the Renaissance Festival -- which continues in June. Food and drink, rides and games, an artisan market, jousting, daredevils, hypnotist and more. Here are 10 reasons you should visit the Georgia Renaissance Festival!

Helen Balloon Festival

🌎 More Information |🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Helen | 🏆 365 Favorite

The South’s oldest balloon event and the United States’ only long distance hot air balloon race will begin (weather permitting) with a mass ascension of 30 bright and colorful hot air balloons, in North Georgia’s Alpine Village – Helen.

Virginia Highland Summerfest

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Virginia Highland

Celebrating 30+ Years of Art, Food & Fun. Saturday/Sunday Events Are Open to General Public.

Free Admission, Donations Greatly Appreciated. Artist market, 5K and Kid trot, food and two music stages.

Families enjoy visiting KidsFest, a special area for younger festival attendees with games, crafts, kid-themed entertainment and activities, many of which are free. This year’s expanded KidsFest will take place on Arcadia Street and in John Howell Park adjacent to Arcadia on Saturday and Sunday. At KidsFest, families will find creative pursuits, not inflatables and jump houses because at KidsFest, it’s all about art, music and creativity!

Roswell Lavender Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Roswell

The festival is a celebration of all things lavender and will feature the many varieties, uses, and folk remedies associated with this ancient plant. This fun event will take place on the grounds of Barrington Hall. Enjoy Demonstrations in the Carriage House, children’s activities, The Zen Zone—yoga, Pilates, aromatherapy, meditation and reflexology, music by Davin McCoy and others, lavender food samples, and a variety of vendors featuring fine art, crafts, antiques, specialty foods, plants, and garden art. There will be food trucks and booths and Lavender beer—a perennial favorite! Free parking and shuttle transportation. Free admission.

Tunes from the Tombs

🌎 More Information | 📍Oakland Cemetery

Tunes from the Tombs, Historic Oakland Cemetery’s annual all-day music festival features musicians performing in and amongst Oakland’s extraordinary monuments, mausoleums and renowned gardens.

Two main stages will host amplified artists, while buskers will perform on distinct vignette stages throughout the cemetery. From rock to folk, Americana to jazz and classical to everything in between, a variety of tunes will entice everyone to boogie down.

Soothe your stomach as well as your soul with good eats from Atlanta food trucks, which will be on-site serving a variety of tasty festival fare. Keep spirits alive with beer, wine, and soft drinks, all of which will be offered for sale on-site.

Festival attendees can also take a complimentary guided mini-tour of Oakland Cemetery, or have their fortunes read by Atlanta’s own, Esmere. Here are 6 Reasons You Should Visit Oakland Cemetery Before You Die.

Blue Ridge Mountains Wine and Jazz Festival

🌎 More Information | 📍Blue Ridge

Bringing hot jazz, great wines, fine art, and delicious cuisine while sitting on a hill top in the center of Mercier Orchards with beautiful panoramic mountain views. Enjoy delicious food prepared locally and listen to top jazz performers from the region.

Ride the Rails Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Blue Ridge

A five-mile round-trip ride by railroad motor car, traveling through the Iron Bridge over the beautiful Toccoa River and then back to the Historic Mineral Bluff Depot. Take a ride on a genuine railroad hand car. Visit the large HO Scale model railroad inside the depot.

Candler Park Music Festival

🌎 More Information | 📍Candler Park

Enjoy two days of live music, great food, and an artists market at Candler Park.

This festival features a great musical lineup, dozens of the best food trucks, and a crafts and artists market that can't be beat.

July Festivals

Plains, Trains and Fireworks

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Americus

This new-ish Sumter County festival has grown to approximately 3,000 people… and other groups have gotten involved to provide children activities, face painting etc. It has become a fun family event with a band, dancing and beautiful professional fireworks. Sam Shortline brings in passengers and it’s have a wonderful time.

August Festivals

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Note:  The 85^th Annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival is moving months this year, and is now scheduled to take place in Piedmont Park from Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, 2021.

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Piedmont Park | 🏆 365 Favorite

The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is the city’s oldest fine arts festival, and it is made possible thanks to the hundreds of superb artists who comprise the Artist Market each year. Every year, they welcome over 200 fine artists from all over the country, including many from the Atlanta area. The Artist Market jurors received more than 1,100 entries this year and selected the top artists in a variety of categories. Be sure to check out the Artist Winners who are literally the best of the best! Don’t miss Family Friday.

Southern-Fried Gaming Expo

🌎 More Information |🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Marriott Renaissance Waverly

The Southern-Fried Gaming Expo features more than 250 arcade, pinball and console machines, the third annual Southern-Fried Pinball Tournament, tabletop gaming, a vendor expo, exciting programs and guest speakers, movie screenings, and other special events. Almost all the games are FREE with your ticket.

Decatur BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Downtown Oakhurst

Fun for everyone surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of classic southern BBQ from metro Atlanta staples along with 7+ hours of original live blues and bluegrass music from aspiring and accomplished local/regional/and national acts to Decatur, Georgia in the heart of Oakhurst. This is a family friendly event that is fun for all ages; kids 12 and under are free.

Piedmont Park Arts Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Piedmont Park

Recognized as one of the best outdoor festivals in Atlanta, the Piedmont Park Arts Festival returns to the heart of Midtown Saturday, August 21 and Sunday, August 22, 2021. Presented by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces in picturesque Piedmont Park, the 10th annual festival will feature approximately 250 artists including painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metalwork, glass blowers, jewelers, and crafters. Festival enthusiasts are also invited to enjoy live acoustic music, a children’s play area, and a variety of festival food and drink. Free to the public, the event is open to all ages and dogs are welcome. 

Dunwoody Butterfly Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Dunwoody Nature Center | 🏆 365 Favorite

The event features two enormous Butterfly tents – each filled with hundreds of live butterflies. Join us for a day of great activities including a Birds of Prey show, live animal encounters, games, educational booths, crafts, music, food and drinks.

Note: Due to the popularity of this event, pre-purchased tickets are the ONLY way to ensure admission into the event, and also save you a little money in the process.

Here are 22 Other Things To Do at Dunwoody Nature Center.

Summer Shade Festival

🌎 More Information | 🚸 Family-friendly| 📍Grant Park

For more than a decade, Atlanta art and music lovers have flocked to Grant Park each August to bid adieu to summer at the Summer Shade Festival. We’ve got two days of outdoor fun planned for all ages including a 5K Run for the Park, food trucks, craft beer, an entertaining Kids Zone and a music line up that just gets better every year.

You won’t want to miss the Sunday morning Grant Park Farmers Market. And did you know you can ride your bike to the festival and park it for free with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition Bike Valet? So, bring your blanket, bring the whole family, but don’t bring any pets, and spend summer’s final weekend at the Grant Park Summer Shade Festival.

Mercier Orchards Hard Cider & Craft Beer Festival

🌎 More Information | 📍Blue Ridge

Beautiful outdoor setting in the center of Mercier Orchards with beautiful panoramic mountain views. See all your favorite brewers and get some great food. Live music and more.

Looking For More?

Do not miss our list of the best Fall Festivals in Georgia like Music Midtown in the city, the Atlanta Beltline Lantern Parade in East Point or the Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay. (There are even a few Halloween festivities thrown in there.) Fall is one of the state's most gorgeous seasons, so we have a post just for those special events.

If music is your thing, then check out our post about noteworthy Music Festivals in Atlanta, guaranteed to rock your weekend. We're listing everything from hip hop to alternative to country.

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