10 Best Festivals in Atlanta

Shaky Knees Music Festival is a springtime indie music fest held annually in Atlanta, in Central Park. This 3-day festival in Old Fourth Ward has been held in various locations around Atlanta since 2013, and in its current venue at Central Park, it can support up to 40,000 attendees per day.

This Atlanta festival primarily features artists and bands from genres like indie rock and indie folk, country, and alternative rock. Past performers at Shaky Knees Music Festival have included Modest Mouse, The Avett Brothers, Dropkick Murphys, Iron & Wine, Florence and the Machine, and The Strokes.

Atlanta Jazz Festival is a free jazz festival held annually in Piedmont Park, located in city centre Atlanta. This festival brings jazz performances and events to Atlanta across the entire month of May, leading up to the 3-day Atlanta Jazz Festival over Memorial Day weekend.

This Atlanta festival showcases a diverse mix of jazz legends and up-and-coming performers in the genre, both from the Southeast and around the world. The Atlanta Jazz Festival is hosted by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and is free to attend.

The Atlanta Dogwood Festival is a festival of the arts held annually in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. This long-running fine arts festival has been held in Atlanta for over 80 years, a 3-day event held in early April to coincide with the blooming of native Dogwood trees around the city.

Within the festival’s sizable fine artist market, you’ll find a diverse array of artistic mediums, from painting to sculpture, pottery, photography, and jewellery. The Atlanta Dogwood Festival also offers performances, live music, a high school art exhibition, rides, and a kids' village with activities, plus plenty of food and drink vendors.

SweetWater 420 Fest is an annual event hosted by Atlanta’s SweetWater Brewing Company. This 3-day festival is held in Centennial Olympic Park, in city centre Atlanta, and is traditionally held on a weekend closest to Earth Day.

This annual Earth Day festival carries a theme of environmental awareness, with multiple stages for live music, an artists market, food trucks, and beer stations. Past performers at SweetWater 420 Fest have included Snoop Dogg, Cage The Elephant, 311, Ludacris, Cypress Hill, The Roots, and The Avett Brothers. SweetWater 420 Fest also hosts an annual 5k event, typically held on the Saturday morning of the weekend festival.

The Atlanta Film Festival is a springtime international film festival held in The Plaza Theatre, in the Poncey-Highland area of Atlanta. This long-running Atlanta festival is an Academy Award-qualifying event across all 3 short film categories.

The festival presents a diverse selection of independent films, paying particular attention to films directed by women, Latin American films, Black films, and LGBTQ+ films. The Atlanta Film Festival hosts events across the Little 5 Points and Poncey-Highland areas, using historic landmarks and the walkability of some of Atlanta’s most unique areas. In 2002 the short film The Accountant went on from the Atlanta Film Festival to win the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

The Piedmont Park Arts Festival is a visual arts and crafts event held annually in city centre Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. This 2-day festival of the arts is centred around a large artists' market and family-friendly events.

Over 250 artists and vendors present a variety of mediums and crafts at the Piedmont Park Arts Festival, from photographers and painters to leather workers, jewellery makers, glass blowers, and sculptors. Along with artisan demonstrations, the festival also offers food trucks and drinks, performances and shows, and a children’s play area and activities. Admission to the festival is free, and funds raised are donated to an area charity or fundraiser.

Imagine Music Festival is an EDM music and camping festival held annually in Chattahoochee Hills, about 30 minutes south of Atlanta. This 3-day festival is an immersive experience of art and music, with elaborate stage designs, lighting, and art installations.

Attendees camp at the festival, enjoying access to multiple stages with live music and performances and high-energy parties that run late into the night. Additional festival events include workshops and classes, games, activities, crafts, and pool parties. Imagine is an 18+ and up event. An ADA-accessible campground is available, as well as accessible stage viewing areas.

Atlanta Pride is a week-long annual festival celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, held in October in Atlanta. The festival is celebrated with events across the city and culminates in a long weekend of festivities and events in and around Piedmont Park.

Atlanta Pride is one of the oldest and largest Pride celebrations in the US, typically drawing 300,000 attendees. Events at Atlanta Pride include multiple large parades with colourful costumes, music, and banners. Additional draws include market vendors and artists, performances, live music, cultural exhibits, parties, and food and drink vendors.

The Children’s Christmas Parade is an annual fundraiser event benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Held on the first weekend of December in city centre Atlanta, the mile-long parade route traverses Peachtree Street beginning at Peachtree and 16th Street and ending at Peachtree and 5th Street.

The parade is free to attend, featuring large colourful floats, marching bands, live music, and giant helium-filled balloons. The Children’s Christmas Parade is aired live on TV as one of the largest holiday-themed parades in the southeast. The parade is preceded by a Breakfast with Santa event, where children attend a buffet breakfast with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

Tunes from the Tombs is an annual music festival held in Atlanta’s historic Oakland Cemetery. This 1-day festival is held on a weekend in June, honouring a Victorian legacy of using cemetery spaces for respectful recreation and leisure. Oakland Cemetery is known for its historic architectural features and as being the final resting place of many famous Atlantans.

Tunes from the Tombs features multiple stages with live music and performances and buskers and street performers. Food and drink vendors are available, as well as games and family activities, an artists market, and guided tours of Oakland Cemetery.